1/ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 

MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


The   KEEPERS 
OF  THE  TRAIL 


By    JOSEPH    A.    ALTSHELER 

THE  CIVIL  WAR  SERIES 

The  Guns  of  Bull   Run  The  Star  of  Gettysburg 

The  Guns  of  Shiloh  The  Rock  of  Chickamaugua 

The  Scouts  of  Stonewall  The  Shades  of  the  Wilderness 

The  Sword   of  Antietam  The  Tree  of  Appomattox 

THE  WORLD  WAR  SERIES 

The   Guns   of  Europe 
The  Hosts  of  the  Air  The  Forest   of   Swords 

THE  YOUNG  TRAILERS  SERIES 

The  Young   Trailers  The  Free   Rangers 

The  Forest  Runners  The  Riflemen   of  the   Ohio 

The  Keepers  of  the  Trail  The  Scouts  of  the  Valley 

The  Eyes  of  the  Woods  The  Border  Watch 

THE  TEXAN  SERIES 

The  Texan  Star 
The  Texan  Scouts  The  Texan  Triumph 

THE  FRENCH   AND  INDIAN  WAR   SERIES 

The  Hunters  of  the  Hills    The  Shadow  of  the  North 

BOOKS  NOT  IN  SERIES 

Apache  Gold  A  Soldier  of  Manhattan 

The  Quest  of  the  Four  The  Sun  of  Saratoga 

The  Last   of   the   Chiefs        A  Herald  of  the   West 
In  Circling  Camps  The  Wilderness  Road 

My  Captive 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY,  NEW  YORK 


^iSi^ 


■The  loud  cry  of  alarm  .  .  .  never  got  past  the  barrier  of  those 

fingers" 

[Page  i8iJ 


The  KEEPERS 
OF  THE  TRAIL 

A     STORY     OF     THE     GREAT     WOODS 


BY 


JOSEPH  A.  ALTSHELER 

AUTHOR  OF   *'THE   YOUNG  TRAILERS,"   "THE  FOREST  RUNNERS,"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED    BY 

D.  C.  HUTCHISON 


NEW   YORK  AND   LONDON 
D.     APPLETON      AND      COMPANY 

1917 


COPYMGHT,   T916,  BY 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 


j^k^'^&■.\2.  h 


5  18603 


Printed  ip  the  United  States  of  America 


leju 


FOREWORD 

"The  Keepers  of  The  Trail"  deals  with  an  episode, 
hitherto  unrelated,  in  the  lives  of  Henry  Ware, 
Paul  Cotter,  Shif'less  Sol  Hyde,  Long  Jim  Hart, 
and  Silent  Tom  Ross.  In  point  of  time  it  follows 
"The  Forest  Runners,"  and,  so,  is  the  third  volume 
of  the  "Young  Trailer"  series. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    Henry  in  His  Kingdom i 

n.    The  Big  Guns 23 

in.    The  IiTOiAN  Camp 41 

IV.    The  Deed  in  the  Water 61 

V.    The  Forest  Joker 83 

VI.    The  King  Wolf loi 

VII.    The  Forest  Poets 123 

VIII.    The  Path  of  Danger 140 

IX.    The  Keepers  of  the  Cleft 164 

X.    Besieged 187 

XI.    The  Shiftless  One 207 

XII.    On  the  Great  Trail 230 

XIII.  Five  Against  A  Thousand 251 

XIV.  Holding  the  Ford 270 

XV.    The  Great  Culmination 293 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

"The  loud  cry  of  alarm  .  .  .  never  got  past  the  barrier  of  those 

fingers" Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

"The  crash  was  stunning,  and  the  light  for  a  moment  or  two 

was  intense" 74 

"He  caught  his  foot  in  a  root,  plimged  forward"     .       .       .120 

" 'Down!' suddenly  called  Henry" 242 


THE  KEEPERS   OF 
THE  TRAIL 


CHAPTER  I 

HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

ALIGHT  wind  blew  over  the  great,  primeval 
wilderness  of  Kentucky,  the  dense,  green  foli- 
age rippling  under  it  like  the  waves  of  the  sea. 
In  every  direction  forest  and  canebrake  stretched  in 
countless  miles,  the  trees,  infinite  in  variety,  and  great 
in  size,  showing  that  Nature  had  worked  here  with  the 
hand  of  a  master.  Little  streams  flashing  in  silver 
or  gold  in  the  sunlight,  flowed  down  to  the  greater 
rivers,  and  on  a  bush  a  scarlet  tanager  fluttered  like  a 
flash  of  flame. 

A  youth,  uncommon  in  size  and  bearing,  stepped 
into  a  little  opening,  and  looked  about  with  the  easy, 
natural  caution  belonging  to  the  native  of  the  forest 
who  knows  that  danger  is  always  near.  His  eyes 
pierced  the  foliage,  and  would  have  noticed  anything 
unusual  there,  his  ear  was  so  keen  that  he  would 
have  heard  at  once  any  sound  not  a  part  of  the 
woods. 

Eye  and  ear  and  the  indefinable  powers  of  primitive 
man  told  him  no  enemy  was  at  hand,  and  he  stood  on 
the  green  hill,  breathing  the  fresh,  crisp  air,  with  a  de- 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

light  that  only  such  as  he  could  feel.  Mighty  was  the 
wilderness,  majestic  in  its  sweep,  and  depth  of  color, 
and  the  lone  human  figure  fitted  into  it  perfectly,  add- 
ing to  it  the  last  and  finishing  touch. 

He  blended,  too,  with  the  forest.  His  dress,  wholly 
of  line,  tanned  deerskin,  was  dyed  green,  the  hunting 
shirt  fringed,  hunting  shirt,  leggings  and  moccasins 
alike  adorned  with  rows  of  little  beads.  Fitting  thus 
so  completely  into  his  environment,  the  ordinary  eye 
would  not  have  observed  him,  and  his  footsteps  were 
so  light  that  the  rabbits  in  the  bush  did  not  stir,  and  the 
flaming  bird  on  the  bough  was  not  frightened. 

Henry  Ware  let  the  stock  of  his  rifle  rest  upon  the 
ground  and  held  it  by  the  barrel,  while  he  gazed  over 
the  green  billows  of  the  forest,  rolling  away  and 
away  to  every  horizon.  He  was  a  fortunate  human 
being  who  had  come  into  his  own  kingdom,  one  in 
which  he  was  fitted  supremely  to  reign,  and  he  would 
not  have  exchanged  his  place. for  that  of  any  titular 
sovereign  on  his  throne. 

His  eyes  gleamed  with  pleasure  as  he  looked  upon 
his  world.  None  knew  better  than  he  its  immense 
variety  and  richness.  He  noted  the  different  shades 
of  th  leaves  and  he  knew  by  contrast  the  kind  of 
tree  that  bore  them.  His  eye  fell  upon  the  tanager, 
and  the  deep,  intense  scarlet  of  its  plumage  gave  him 
pleasure.  It  seemed  fairly  to  blaze  against  the  back- 
ground of  woodland  green,  but  it  still  took  no  alarm 
from  the  presence  of  the  tall  youth  who  neither  stirred 
nor  made  any  sound. 

Another    bird,    hidden    behind    an    immense    leaf. 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

began  to  pour  forth  the  full  notes  of  a  chatter- 
ing, mocking  song,  almost  like  the  voice  of  a  human 
being.  Henry  liked  it,  too,  although  he  knew  the 
bird  was  flinging  him  a  pretty  defiance.  It  belonged 
in  his  world.  It  was  fitting  that  one  singer,  many 
singers,  should  live  in  his  wilderness  and  sing  for  him. 

A  gray  squirrel,  its  saucy  tail  curved  over  its  back, 
ran  lightly  up  an  oak,  perched  on  a  bough  and  gazed 
at  him  with  a  challenging,  red  eye.  Henry  gave  back 
his  look,  and  laughed  in  the  silent  manner  of  the 
border.  He  had  no  wish  to  hurt  the  swaggering  little 
fellow.  His  heart  was  bare  of  ill  will  against  any- 
thing. 

A  deep,  clear  creek  flowed  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  and 
a  fish,  snapping  at  a  fly,  leaped  clear  of  the  water, 
making  a  silver  streak  in  the  air,  gone  in  an  instant  as 
he  fell  back  into  the  stream.  The  glimpse  pleased 
Henry.  It,  too,  was  a  part  of  his  kingdom,  stocked 
with  fur,  fin  and  feather,  beyond  that  of  any  other 
king,  and  far  more  vast. 

The  brilliant  sunlight  over  his  head  began  to  dim 
and  darken.  He  looked  up.  The  van  of  a  host,  the 
wild  pigeons  flying  northward  appeared,  and  then 
came  the  great  wide  column,  millions  and  rr*»llions 
of  birds,  returning  from  their  winter  in  the  south. 
He  had  seen  the  huge  flights  before,  but  the  freshness 
and  zest  of  the  sight  never  wore  away.  No  matter 
how  far  they  came  nor  how  far  they  went  they  would 
still  be  flying  over  his  forest  empire.  And  then  would 
come  the  great  flocks  of  wild  ducks  and  wild  geese, 
winging  swiftly   like   an   arrow  toward   the   north, 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

They,  too,  were  his,  and  again  he  took  long,  deep 
breaths  of  a  dehght  so  keen  that  it  made  his  pulses 
leap. 

From  the  wood  at  the  base  of  the  hill  came  a 
crackling  sound  as  of  something  breaking,  and  then 
the  long  crash  of  a  tree  falling.  He  went  a  little 
way  down  the  slope  and  his  moccasins  made  no  sound 
in  the  grass.  Gently  pulling  aside  the  bough  of  a 
sheltering  bush  he  saw  the  beavers  at  work.  Already 
.they  were  measuring  for  lengths  the  tree  they  had  cut 
through  at  the  base  with  their  long,  sharp  teeth. 

The  creek  here  received  a  tributary  brook  of  con- 
siderable volume,  and  the  dam  erected  by  the  beavers 
had  sent  the  waters  far  back  in  a  tiny  sheet  like  a  little 
lake.  But  as  Henry  saw,  they  wxre  going  to  raise 
the  dam  higher,  and  they  were  working  with  the 
intelligence  and  energy  that  belong  so  peculiarly  to 
the  beaver.  Four  powerful  fellows  were  floating  a  log 
in  the  water,  ready  to  put  it  into  place,  and  others  on 
the  bank  were  launching  another. 

It  was  one  of  the  largest  beaver  colonies  he  had 
ever  seen,  and  he  watched  it  with  peculiar  enjoyment. 
He  killed  the  beaver  now  and  then — the  cap  upon  his 
head  was  made  of  its  skin — but  only  when  it  was 
needful.  The  industrious  animals  were  safe  from 
his  rifle  now,  and  he  felt  that  his  wilderness  had  no 
more  useful  people. 

He  looked  at  them  a  long  time,  merely  for  the 
pleasure  of  looking.  They  showed  so  much  skill,  so 
much  quickness  and  judgment  that  he  was  willing 
to  see  and  learn  from  them.    He  felt,  in  a  sense,  that 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

they  were  comrades.  He  wished  them  well  in  their 
work,  and  he  knew  that  they  would  have  snug  houses, 
when  the  next  winter  came. 

He  left  them  in  their  peace,  returned  to  the  brow 
of  the  hill,  and  then  walked  slowly  down  the  other 
side.  He  heard  a  woof,  a  sound  of  scrambling,  and 
a  black  bear,  big  in  frame,  but  yet  lean  from  the  win- 
ter, ran  from  its  lair  in  the  bushes,  stopped  a  moment 
at  fifty  or  sixty  yards  to  look  hard  at  him,  and  then, 
wheeling  again  in  frightened  flight  disappeared  among 
the  trees.  Henry  once  more  laughed  silently.  He 
would  not  have  harmed  the  bear  either. 

A  puffing,  panting  sound  attracted  his  attention, 
and,  walking  farther  on,  he  looked  into  a  glade,  in 
which  the  grass  grew  high  and  thick.  He  had 
known  from  the  character  of  the  noise  that  he  would 
find  buffaloes  there,  and  they  numbered  about  a  dozen, 
grazing  a  while,  and  then  breathing  heavily  in  con- 
tent. He  had  seen  them  in  countless  herds  on  the 
western  plains,  when  he  was  with  Black  Cloud  and  his 
tribe,  but  south  of  the  Ohio,  owing  to  the  heavy  forest, 
they  were  found  only  in  small  groups,  although  they 
were  plentiful. 

The  wind  was  blowing  toward  him,  and  standing 
partially  behind  a  huge  oak  he  watched  them.  They 
were  the  finest  and  largest  inhabitants  of  his  wilder- 
ness, splendid  creatures,  with  their  leonine  manes  and 
huge  shoulders,  beasts  of  which  any  monarch  might 
be  proud.  He  could  easily  bring  down  any  one  of 
them  that  he  wanted  with  his  rifle,  but  they  were  safe 
from  all  bullets  of  his. 

5 


THE    KEEPERS    OF   THE    TRAIL 

He  looked  at  them  a  while,  as  a  man  would  gaze 
at  a  favorite  horse.  There  was  a  calf  among  them, 
and  whenever  it  wandered  from  the  middle  of  the 
glade  toward  the  edge  of  the  forest  the  mother  would 
push  it  back.  Henry,  studying  the  woods  there,  saw 
just  within  their  shadow  the  long  slinking  figures  of 
two  gray  wolves.  He  knew  their  purpose,  but  he  knew 
also  that  it  would  not  be  fulfilled. 

He  watched  the  little  forest  drama  with  an  interest 
none  the  less  because  it  was  not  new  to  him.  He  saw 
the  gray  shadows  creeping  nearer  and  nearer,  while 
the  calf  persistently  sought  the  woods,  probably  for 
shade.  Presently  the  leader  of  the  herd,  an  immense 
bull,  almost  black,  caught  an  odor,  wheeled  like  light- 
ning and  rushed  upon  the  wolves.  There  was  a  single 
yelp,  as  one  was  trampled  to  death,  and  the  other  fled 
through  the  forest  to  seek  easier  prey. 

The  buffaloes  returned  to  their  grazing  and  the 
foolish  calf,  warned  by  the  danger  from  which  he 
had  been  saved,  stayed  in  the  middle  of  the  glade,  with 
his  elders  as  a  wall  around  him.  Henry  smiled.  He 
had  foreseen  the  result,  and  it  was  wholly  to  his  liking. 
He  passed  around  the  opening,  not  wishing  to  disturb 
the  animals,  and  went  northward,  always  on  soundless 
feet. 

A  stag,  catching  the  human  odor  on  the  wind, 
sprang  from  a  thicket,  and  crashed  away  in  wild  alarm. 
Henry  laughed  again  and  waved  his  hand  at  the 
fleeting  figure.  The  stag  did  not  know  that  he  had 
no  cause  to  dread  him,  but  Henry  admired  his  speed. 
A  flock  of  wild  turkeys  rose  from  a  bough  above 

6 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

his  head,  and  uttering  preliminary  gobbles,  sailed 
away  in  a  low  flight  among  the  trees.  He  waved 
his  hand  at  them  also,  and  noticed  before  they  dis- 
appeared how  the  sunlight  glowed  on  their  bronze 
feathers. 

It  was  a  fine  morning  in  his  kingdom,  and  he  was 
seeing  many  forms  of  its  life.  He  remarked  a  bee 
tree,  and  thought  it  probable  that  the  runaw^ay  bear 
would  make  a  try  there  some  day  for  honey.  Then  he 
stopped  and  looked  at  a  tiny  blue  flower,  just  blooming 
in  the  shelter  of  a  bush.  He  examined  it  with  appre- 
ciation and  touched  the  delicate  leaf  very  gently,  lest 
he  break  it  away.  Little  and  fragile,  it  had  its  place 
nevertheless  in  his  realm. 

His  course  led  him  back  to  the  creek,  here  very  deep 
and  clear  and  running  over  a  gravelly  bottom.  After 
looking  and  listening  for  a  little  while,  he  undressed, 
laid  his  rifle  and  other  weapons  on  the  very  edge  of 
the  bank,  where  he  could  reach  them  in  an  instant,  and 
dropped  silently  into  the  water.  It  was  cool  and  he 
shivered  at  first,  but  as  he  swam  the  warmth  returned 
to  his  veins. 

He  was  a  splendid  swimmer,  and  he  was  careful 
not  to  splash  or  make  any  other  sound  that  could  be 
heard  far.  It  was  glorious  there  in  the  w^ater,  and  he 
was  loath  to  leave  it.  He  lay  on  his  back,  floated  a 
little  with  the  current,  and  then  with  strokes  strong, 
swnft  and  silent,  swam  back  again. 

His  eyes  looked  up  into  a  blue  sky,  sprinkled  with 
many  little  white  clouds  golden  at  the  edge.  The 
hug^e   flight  of   pigeons   had   passed   and   no  longer 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

dimmed  the  sun.  He  could  just  see  the  last  of  the 
myriads  on  the  edge  of  the  northern  horizon.  But 
there  was  a  sudden  flash  of  black  across  the  blue,  and 
a  hawk  shot  down  into  the  forest.  A  bald  eagle  sailed 
in  slow  majesty  above  the  trees,  and,  well  within  the 
shelter  of  the  foliage  near  him,  many  small  birds  were 
twittering.  The  air  over  his  realm  as  well  as  the 
forests  and  waters  was  full  of  life. 

He  came  out,  allowed  himself  to  dry  in  the  sun, 
while  he  flexed  and  tensed  his  powerful  muscles.  Then 
he  dressed.  The  swim  had  been  good,  and  he  was 
glad  that  he  had  taken  the  risk.  He  was  aware  that 
the  forest  contained  inhabitants  much  more  dangerous 
than  those  he  had  looked  upon  that  morning,  but  he 
had  not  yet  seen  any  sign  of  them,  and  he  was  one 
who  had  learned  to  use  his  opportunities. 

After  luxuriating  for  a  little  while  on  the  grass, 
Henry,  rifle  on  shoulder,  walked  swiftly  forward. 
He  had  a  definite  purpose  and  it  w^as  to  rejoin  his  four 
comrades,  Paul  Cotter,  Shif'less  Sol  Hyde,  Long  Jim 
Hart  and  Tom  Ross,  w^ho  were  not  far  away  in  the 
greenwood,  the  fivQ,  since  the  repulse  of  the  great 
attack  upon  the  wagon  train,  continuing  their  chosen 
duties  as  keepers  of  the  trail,  that  is,  they  were  con- 
tinually on  guard  in  the  vast  forest  and  canebrake 
against  the  Northwestern  Indians  who  were  making 
such  a  bitter  war  upon  the  young  Kentucky  settle- 
ments. 

Henry  had  known  that  they  would  come  again. 
Kentucky  had  been  a  huge  hunting  ground,  without 
any  Indian  villages,  but  for  that  reason  it  had  been 

8 


HENRY    IN    ins    KINGDOM 

prized  most  highly  by  the  savage.  The  same  reason 
made  the  ground  all  the  more  dangerous  for  the 
white  people,  because  the  Indians,  unhampered  by  their 
Avomen  and  children,  came  only  with  chosen  bands  of 
warriors,  selected  for  supreme  skill  in  battle  and  for- 
est lore.  No  seekers  of  new  homes  ever  faced  greater 
dangers  than  the  little  white  vanguard  that  crossed 
the  Alleghanies  into  the  splendid  new  land  beyond. 
Hidden  death  always  lurked  in  the  bush,  and  no  man 
went  beyond  the  palisade  even  on  the  commonest 
errand  without  his  rifle. 

It  was  a  noble  task  that  Henry  and  his  comrades 
had  undertaken,  to  act  as  watchers,  and  it  appealed  to 
them  all,  to  him  most  because  he  was  continually  in 
the  wilderness  that  he  loved  so  well,  and  he  felt  that 
he  was  doing  a  much  greater  work  than  when  he  was 
felling  trees,  and  helping  to  clear  a  place  for  crops. 
As  for  himself  he  would  never  have  cut  down  a  single 
tree,  although  there  w^ere  millions  and  millions  of 
them.  Nature  held  nothing  that  he  admired  more. 
He  knew  no  greater  delight  than  to  stand  on  a  high 
hill  and  look  on  the  forest,  deep  green,  waving  in  the 
w'ind,  and  stretching  to  the  complete  circle  of  the 
horizon  and  beyond. 

He  was  now  in  one  of  the  loneliest  stretches  of  the 
wilderness,  far  north  of  Wareville,  and  no  great  dis- 
tance from  the  Ohio.  A  day's  march  would  take  him 
to  a  favorite  crossing  of  the  savages,  and  that  was 
w-hy  he  and  his  comrades  were  in  this  region.  He 
increased  his  speed,  settling  into  the  long  swinging 
gait  which  the  scouts  of  the  border  always  used,  when 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

they  would  hasten,  but,  in  a  half-hour,  he  stopped  sud- 
denly and  his  figure  seemed  to  vanish  utterly  in  a  dense 
mass  of  green  bushes. 

Henry,  now  hidden  himself,  had  seen.  It  was  only 
a  trace  that  scarcely  any  eye  save  his  would  have  no- 
ticed, but  in  a  place  where  the  earth  was  soft  he  had 
observed  the  faint  imprint  of  a  moccasin,  the  toes 
turning  inward  and  hence  made  by  an  Indian.  Other 
imprints  must  be  near,  but,  for  a  little  while,  he  would 
not  look,  remaining  crouched  in  the  thicket.  He  wished 
to  be  sure  before  he  moved  that  no  wearer  of  a  moc- 
casin was  in  the  bush.  It  might  be  that  Yellow 
Panther,  redoubtable  chief  of  the  Miamis,  and  Red 
Eagle,  equally  redoubtable  chief  of  the  Shawnees,  w^ere 
at  hand  with  great  war  bands,  burning  to  avenge  their 
defeats. 

He  did  not  move  for  fully  ten  minutes.  He  had  ac- 
quired all  the  qualities  of  those  who  live  in  constant 
danger  in  vast  forests,  and,  like  the  animal  that  hides, 
his  figure  and  dress  blended  completely  with  the  green 
thicket.  The  air  brought  no  menace  to  either  eye  or 
ear,  and  then  he  stepped  forth. 

He  found  the  imprints  of  live  or  six  pairs  of  moc- 
casins farther  on,  and  then  they  became  so  faint  that 
the  best  trailer  in  the  West  could  not  follow  them, 
although  he  believed  that  they  had  been  made  by  a 
hunting  party.  It  was  customary  for  the  Indians  on 
their  great  raids  to  detach  a  number  of  men  who  would 
roam  the  forests  for  food,  but  he  decided  that  he 
would  not  try  to  follow  them  any  longer.  He  would 
not  be  deflected  from  his  purpose  to  join  his  comrades. 

10 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

Leaving  the  broken  trail  he  sped  north  by  west,  the 
forests  and  thickets  growing  thicker  as  he  advanced. 
At  one  point  he  came  to  a  vast  canebrake  that 
seemed  impassable,  yet  he  made  his  way  through  it 
almost  without  slackening  speed,  and  came  to  a  grove 
of  oaks,  so  large  and  so  dense  that  the  sunlight 
never  entered  there.  He  stopped  at  its  edge  and  imi- 
tated the  long,  haunting  cry  of  the  owl.  In  a  mo- 
ment or  two  a  note  like  it,  but  distant  and  faint, 
came.  He  uttered  the  cry  a  second  time,  and  heard 
the  reply. 

Hesitating  no  longer  he  entered  the  oak  grove. 
These  trees  with  their  great  mossy  trunks  were  the 
finest  that  he  had  ever  seen.  Some  peculiar  quality 
of  the  soil,  some  fertilizing  agency  beneath  had  given 
them  an  unparalleled  growth.  The  leafy  roof  was 
complete,  and  he  advanced  as  one  who  walks  down  a 
limitless  hall,  studded  with  a  myriad  of  columns. 

Two  miles  and  turning  around  a  hill  he  came  to  a 
cup  in  its  far  side,  hidden  so  well  that  the  unknowing 
would  have  passed  it  unseen.  But  he  called  and  his 
four  comrades  answered  from  the  cup.  Parting  the 
bushes  Henry  entered  and  they  gave  him  a  low  but 
joyous  welcome. 

The  cup,  almost  circular,  was  not  more  than  ten 
feet  across,  but  the  sun  shone  in  it  and  the  ground  was 
warm  and  dry.  Just  beyond  the  far  edge  a  little  spring 
gushed  from  under  a  stone  and  trickled  away,  whisper- 
ing gently  through  the  bushes. 

Paul  was  the  only  one  of  the  four  who  had  risen. 
He  stood  now  erect,  the  stock  of  his  rifle  resting  on 

II 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  ground,  the  customary  attitude  of  the  waiting  bor- 
derer, his  fine,  intellectual  face  bright  with  interest. 

"Did  you  see  anything,  Henry?"  he  asked. 

''O'  course  he  saw  somethin',''  drawled  Shi f 'less  Sol. 
"Did  you  ever  know  the  time  when  Henry  went  any- 
w^har  without  seein'  anythin'  ?" 

"Paul  meant  did  he  see  anythin'  wuth  tellin',"  said 
Long  Jim.  "You're  always  talkin'  too  much,  Sol. 
Why  did  you  want  to  bust  in  on  a  boy  that  was  askin' 
a  decent  question?" 

"I  never  talk  too  much.  Long  Jim  Hart,"  said 
the  shiftless  one  indignantly.  "Now  an'  then  I 
hev  to  talk  a  long  time,  'cause  I  know  so  much  that 
I  can't  git  it  all  out  between  sunrise  an'  sunset,  an' 
the  hours  then  are  mighty  crowded,  too.  I  reckon 
that  you'd  never  need  more'n  five  minutes  to  empty 
your  head." 

"Mine's  a  good  head  an'  it  never  has  any  swellin' 
either." 

"Give  Henry  a  chance,"  said  Paul  smiling.  "How 
can  he  ever  tell  us  anything,  when  you  two  are  filling 
all  the  woods  with  the  roar  of  argument?" 

The  debaters  subsided.  Silent  Tom  Ross  said  noth- 
ing. His  chariness  of  speech  often  saved  him  much 
breath.  Besides,  Tom  was  contented.  He  knew  that 
if  Henry  had  found  anything  worth  telling  and  thought 
fit  to  tell  it  he  would  do  so  at  the  right  time. 

"Give  me  some  venison,"  said  Henry.  "I've  walked 
a  long  way,  and  I'm  hungry." 

Paul  produced  a  piece  from  a  deerskin  knapsack 
that  he  carried  and  Henry,  sitting  down  in  the  cir- 

12 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

cular  opening,  ate.     Paul  lay  down  again  and  all  of 
them  waited. 

"Indians,"  said  Henry  at  length,  waving  his  hands 
toward  the  east. 

''How  many?"  asked  Shif'less  Sol. 

"I  could  not  tell,  but  I  think  it's  a  large  band,  either 
Miamis  or  Shawnees.  Perhaps  Yellow  Panther  and 
Red  Eagle  have  come  back." 

"Like  as  not,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  "They're  the 
kind  to  come." 

"Huntin'  scalps,"  said  Tom  Ross,  speaking  for  the 
first  time. 

"And  it's  our  business,"  said  Paul,  "to  see  that  they 
don't  get  'em." 

"So  it  is,"  said  Long  Jim.  "A  man  hates  to  lose  his 
hair,  'specially  when  he's  got  such  thick,  beautiful  hair 
as  mine.  I've  heard  that  a  big  prize  fur  my  scalp  has 
been  offered  to  all  the  Injun  nations  across  the  Ohio. 
Still,  danger  heats  up  my  courage,  an'  I'm  right  proud 
uv  bein'  a  marked  man." 

"We  must  find  out  all  about  that  band,"  said  Tom 
Ross.     "Which  way  w^uz  they  goin'  ?" 

"The  trail  so  far  as  it  showed  led  to  the  east," 
replied  Henry,  "but  you  couldn't  tell  anything  by 
that.  I'm  quite  sure  it  w^as  made  by  hunters  sent 
out  for  buffalo  or  deer  to  feed  the  main  band. 
There's  lots  of  game  around  here,  which  shows  that 
the  Indians  haven't  been  roving  over  this  region 
much." 

"I've  seen  all  kinds,"  said  Long  Jim.  "It  jest  walks 
or  flies  right  up  to  our  rifle  barrels,  an'  ef  it  wuzn't  fur 

13 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  danger  I'd  like  to  show  you  fellers  the  grand  way 
in  which  I  could  cook  a  lot  uv  it." 

"Right  thar,  old  hoss,  I  stand  up  fur  you  ag'in'  the 
world,"  said  Shif'less  Sol,  "but  I  reckon  we  ain't 
lightin'  any  fires  jest  now." 

"No,"  said  Henry.  "I  think  we'd  better  stay  here 
the  rest  of  the  day,  and  keep  ourselves  in  hiding.  The 
main  band,  whatever  its  size  or  wherever  it  is,  seems 
to  have  plenty  of  flankers  and  hunters,  and  if  we  ran 
into  them,  as  we  surely  would,  we  wouldn't  have  any 
chance  to  watch  'em  later  on." 

"Right,  o'  course,"  said  Shif'less  Sol,  and  the  others 
agreed  in  silence. 

The  five  lay  back  upon  the  dry  leaves,  depending 
upon  hearing  chiefly,  to  warn  them  of  the  possible  com- 
ing of  an  enemy.  The  undergrowth  was  so  dense 
about  the  cup  that  no  one  fifteen  yards  away  could  see 
them,  and  they  were  able  to  hear  even  a  creeping  war- 
rior, before  he  could  come  that  near.  Hence  they 
reposed  without  alarm,  and,  bold  forest  runners  that 
they  were,  eternally  on  guard,  they  took  their  ease 
with  a  certain  sense  of  luxury. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  the 
sun  was  at  its  brightest,  the  rays  being  vertical.  From 
their  woodland  cup  they  looked  up  at  a  circle  of  shining 
blue  sky,  continually  crossed  by  tiny  white  clouds, 
following  one  another  in  a  regular  procession  from 
south  to  north.  The  majesty  of  the  wilderness  and 
the  illimitable  covering  of  forest  green  appealed  to 
Paul  but  little  less  than  to  Henry.  He,  too,  felt  the 
great  lift  of  the  spirit,  danger  or  no  danger. 

14 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

The  five  enjoyed  the  wilderness,  every  one  in  his 
own  way,  Henry  and  Paul  because  their  souls  were 
stirred  by  it,  Shif'less  Sol  because  it  was  always  un- 
folding to  him  some  new  wonder,  Tom  Ross  because 
it  was  a  hunting  ground  without  limit,  and  Long  Jim 
because  nearly  every  kind  of  game  found  in  it  could 
be  eaten,  after  it  had  been  cooked  by  his  master  hand. 

But  they  did  not  speak  now.  The  people  of  the 
border,  save  in  their  homes,  never  talked  much.  The 
caution  bred  by  the  necessity  of  the  w^oods  became  a 
habit.  They  acquired  an  extraordinary  powder  over 
voice  and  nerves.  Like  a  Hindu,  a  man  could  lie  silent 
and  motionless  for  hours.  In  this  respect  they  had  the 
quality  of  the  Indian  and  the  five  at  least  could  match 
his  native  cunning  and  training,  and,  in  addition,  bring 
to  their  own  aid  a  superior  intellectual  power.  That 
was  why  they  were  kings  of  the  woods. 

The  sun  passed  the  zenith  and  the  rays  were  no 
longer  vertical,  but  it  w^as  almost  as  bright  in  the  cup 
as  ever,  while  the  sky  itself  had  lost  nothing  of  its 
shining  blue  tint.    Paul  presently  said : 

*T  notice  a  shred  of  brown  or  gray  against  that 
brilliant  blue.  Now  all  the  little  clouds  are  white,  and 
this  sadder  color  has  no  business  there.  Besides,  it's 
a  blur.     Would  you  say  it's  smoke,  Henry  ?" 

Henry,  who  had  been  listening  rather  than  watching, 
opened  his  eyes  and  stared  intently  at  the  faint  smudge 
on  the  skv. 

"Yes,  it's  smoke,"  he  said,  "and  as  the  wind  now 
comes  from  the  south  it,  too,  is  traveling  that  way. 
Don't  you  think  so,  Sol  ?" 

^5 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

*'0'  course,  Henry.  Now  you  see  thar's  a  little  big- 
ger patch  o'  gray  followin'  the  first,  an'  it  ain't  so 
mighty  high  above  us,  either." 

''Yes,  I  see  it.    Read  the  book  for  us,  Sol."  ' 

"Lookin'  at  them  thar  two  bits  o'  gray  which  Natur' 
didn't  put  up  in  the  sky,  but  which  somehow  came 
from  the  hand  o'  man,  I  kin  spin  the  tale  jest  ez  it  is. 
That's  smoke  up  thar.  It  can't  come  from  any  kind 
o'  a  forest  fire,  'cause  it's  early  spring  an'  the  woods 
are  too  green  to  burn.  Thar  ain't  no  white  people  in 
these  parts  'cept  ourselves  an'  ef  thar  wuz  they 
wouldn't  be  so  foolish  ez  to  build  a  fire  that  sends  up 
smoke.  So  it's  bound  to  be  Injuns.  They're  a  big 
band,  so  big  that  they  ain't  afeard  o'  bein'  attacked. 
That's  the  reason  why  they're  so  keerless  'bout  thar 
smoke.  An'  'cause  the  band  is  so  big  it  ain't  jest  hunt- 
ers. It's  a  war  band  bound  south  ag'in  the  settlements 
to  git  scalps  in  revenge  for  all  the  braves  they've  lost. 
Do  I  tell  the  truth,  Henry?" 

"To  the  last  detail." 

''Thoroughly  good  logic,"  said  Paul. 

"What's  logic?"  asked  Long  Jim. 

"I'll  illustrate,"  replied  Paul.  "When  you  see  a 
deer,  take  aim  at  him  with  your  rifle  and  shoot  him 
through  the  heart,  you  feel  quite  sure  when  he  drops 
dead  that  it  was  you  who  killed  him.  Logic  tells  you 
that,  and  so  that  is  logic." 

"I  reckon  I  know  now,"  said  Long  Jim,  rubbing  his 
chin. 

"Tom,"  said  Henry,  "about  how  far  from  us  is  the 
fire  that  makes  that  smoke  ?" 

l6 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

"Smoke,  'less  there's  a  terrible  lot  uv  it,  don't  hang 
together  long,"  replied  Ross,  looking  up  thoughtfully 
at  the  little  gray  clouds.  ''But  I  reckon  them  two  thar 
wuz  broke  off  from  a  much  bigger  piece  at  the  start, 
an'  are  gittin'  smaller  ez  they  come.  But  thar  main 
camp  ain't  more'n  two  miles  from  here,  Henry." 

''Just  about  that,  I  should  say.  We'd  better  look 
'em  over  tonight,  hadn't  we  ?" 

"Jest  ez  you  say.    You're  the  leader,  Henry.'* 

''We'll  do  it,  if  we  can,  but  I'm  thinking  we'll  have 
to  be  mighty  careful.  I've  an  idea  that  the  woods  are 
full  of  w^arriors.  I  don't  want  to  be  burned  at  the 
stake." 

"But  Jim  Hart  here  w-ould  make  a  most  bee-yu-ti-ful 
torch,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "Slim  an'  nigh  on  to  six 
feet  and  a  half  tall  he'd  light  up  the  whole  woods,  ef 
he  wuz  set  on  fire  on  top  fust." 

"Ef  you  wmz  set  on  fire  on  top,"  said  Long  Jim, 
"thar  wouldn't  be  much  burnin',  'cause  a  blaze  can't 
feed  on  emptiness." 

"Thar  goes  another  o'  them  little  gray  patches," 
said  Silent  Tom.  "That  means  they're  still  feedin'  the 
fire — fur  cookin'  too,  'cause  they  don't  need  it  to  warm 
by.  The  hunters  must  hev  brought  in  a  power  o'  game, 
'cause  when  the  warriors  do  eat,  an'  they  hev  plenty 
o'  it  to  last,  they  eat  in  a  way  no  white  man  can 
match." 

"I  suppose  that  w^as  the  w^ay  of  the  primitive  man," 
said  Paul,  who  was  wont  to  think  about  origins  'iid 
causes.  "He  was  never  sure  of  his  food,  and  when  he 
had  it  he  ate  all  he  could." 

17 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

Henry  uttered  a  slight  warning  hiss,  a  sibilant 
breath,  scarcely  more,  and  the  five  shifting  a  little, 
grasped  their  rifles  in  such  a  manner  that  they  could 
be  pushed  forward  at  once,  and  listened  with  all  their 
ears.  Henry  had  heard  a  light  footfall,  and  then  the 
faint  sound  of  voices.  He  drew  himself  to  the  edge 
of  the  covert  and  he  did  it  with  so  much  skill  that  not 
a  leaf  or  a  blade  of  grass  rustled. 

Lying  flat  on  the  ground,  and,  looking  underneath 
the  boughs  of  the  trees  and  bushes,  where  only  the 
trunks  and  stems  were  in  the  way,  he  saw  the  legs  of 
four  men,  the  upper  parts  of  their  bodies  being  com- 
pletely hidden  by  the  foliage.  Henry  knew,  neverthe- 
less, that  they  were  three  Indians  and  one  white  man. 
The  white  man  was  disclosed  by  his  thicker  legs  and 
his  toes  which  turned  out.  All  were  clothed  much  alike 
in  deerskin  leggings,  but  Henry  could  make  no  mis- 
take. 

It  was  equally  evident  to  him  that  the  white  man 
was  not  a  prisoner,  because  he  walked  quite  freely. 
Once  he  passed  ahead  of  the  three  Indians,  and  then 
he  dropped  behind.  If  a  captive,  he  would  have  walked 
just  behind  one  warrior  and  the  other  two,  in  Indian 
file,  would  have  walked  close  behind  him. 

Henry  saw  also  that  they  were  carrying  heavy 
weights,  because  they  stepped  slowly  and  with  a  cer- 
tain stiffness.  There  was  a  rigidity  and  tension  that 
strong  men  walking  easily  would  not  have  shown. 
Unquestionably  they  were  successful  hunters,  carrying 
game  to  a  great  gluttonous  band  feasting  with  energy 
two  miles  away. 

i8 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

"Three  Shawnees  and  Braxton  Wyatt,"  whispered 
Shif'less  Sol,  who  had  crept  to  his  side.  *'Don't  you 
remember  that  he  had  jest  the  faintest  bit  o'  bow  in 
his  legs?  An'  thar's  that  bow.  Why,  I'd  know  them 
legs  anywhar  in  the  world." 

"That's  so,"  said  Henry.  "Now  I  wonder  what  his 
wicked  mind  is  devising.  There's  no  hater  like  a 
renegade." 

"You  may  be  shore  he's  thinkin'  o'  harm  to  our 
people  down  below,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  "I'm  glad 
we're  here  to  see  'em." 

Henry  nodded  in  agreement,  and  they  whispered  to 
the  others  that  Wyatt  and  three  Shawnees  were  pass- 
ing. Henry  and  Sol  knew  that  they  were  Shawnees, 
because  they  had  red  beads  in  a  row  on  their  leggings, 
where  the  Miamis  w^ore  blue  ones. 

"Ef  I  wuz  to  steal  down  a  bit  through  the  bushes  an' 
shoot  that  traitor  right  squar'  through  his  black  heart, 
ez  I  could  do  easy,  I'd  be  savin'  the  lives  o'  innocent 
men,  women  an'  children,"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 

"It  is  likely,"  said  Henry,  "but  you  mustn't  do  it. 
Somehow  I  can't  see  a  man  shot  from  ambush.  Be- 
sides, it  would  give  the  alarm,  an'  we  mightn't  be  able 
to  carry  on  our  work." 

"I  didn't  say  I  wanted  to  do  it,  but  it's  pow'ful 
temptin'." 

"Yes,  I  know,  but  it's  silence  and  waiting  for  us." 

The  four  pairs  of  legs,  three  Indian  and  one  white, 
passed  on.  Ten  minutes  later  they  heard  a  long  whoop 
from  one  point,  and  a  long  whoop  from  another  point 
answered.     They  were  not  war  cries,  merely  signals, 

19 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  the  five  appreciated  more  than  ever  the  invisibility 
of  their  little  retreat.  There  was  not  more  than  one 
chance  in  a  hundred  that  a  wandering  warrior  would 
stumble  upon  it. 

Other  calls  were  heard  through  the  forest,  and  then 
the  faint  sound  of  a  chant  dying  swiftly. 

"They're  merry,"  said  Paul,  with  swift  intuition. 
"Maybe  they  have  some  scalps  already  to  rejoice  over." 

It  was  a  bitter  reminder  to  Henry,  and  yet  it  might 
be  true.  A  small  band,  traveling  fast,  might  have 
struck  an  unguarded  settlement,  and,  returning,  might 
be  here  now  with  the  great  band,  bearing  their  san- 
guinary trophies.  Five  only,  no  matter  how  brave  and 
skillful,  could  not  watch  the  whole  border. 

"There's  nothing  to  do,"  he  said,  "but  wait  for  dark- 
ness." 

Not  one  of  them  had  risen  to  his  feet,  and  they 
merely  sank  back  on  their  elbows,  again  relying  more 
upon  ear  than  eye.  They  relaxed,  but  they  were  ready 
for  instant  action,  should  the  need  come. 

They  would  not  have  very  long  to  wait  now.  The 
sun  was  so  far  over  in  the  west  that  it  cast  slanting 
rays  and  shadows  were  gathering  at  the  base  of  the 
cup.  It  was  growing  colder  and  the  rising  wind  sang 
among  the  green  young  leaves.  A  vast  red  sun  hang- 
ing low  over  the  western  wilderness  tinged  the  forest, 
as  if  with  fire.  To  an  ordinary  human  being  it  would 
have  been  an  awful  sun  in  its  flaming  majesty,  fright- 
ening him,  lost  in  the  forest,  by  its  mysterious  im- 
mensity, but  the  five,  either  separately  or  alone  were 
too  familiar  with  the  great  spectacle  to  feel  fear. 

ZQ 


HENRY    IN    HIS    KINGDOM 

"It's  an  uncommonly  red  sun,"  said  Tom  Ross. 

''And  they  say  that  means  battle,"  said  Paul,  who 
had  read  much  for  a  lad  of  the  frontier. 

''I  s'pose  so,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  ''an'  it  may 
mean  a  storm,  but  I  reckon  in  this  case  it's  more  like- 
ly to  p'int  to  rifles  an'  tomahawks." 

The  splendor  of  the  west  in  its  crimson  and  gold 
deepened.  Higher  up  in  the  heavens  were  glorious 
terraces  of  blue  and  pink.  The  boughs  of  the  distant 
trees  stood  out  as  if  they  were  wrapped  in  living  fire. 

"Magnificent!"  said  Paul,  for  whom  its  magic  never 
palled. 

"And  now  it's  fading,"  said  Henry. 

"The  shoulder  of  the  world  is  coming  up  between," 
said  Paul. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  asked  Long  Jim, 
"when  with  your  own  eyes  you  kin  see  the  sun  movin' 
'roun'  behind  the  earth." 

"The  sun  doesn't  move,  Jim,  that  is,  so  far  as  we're 
concerned,  but  we  do.  We  roll  around  ourselves  every 
day  and  night.  At  the  end  of  the  day  the  earth  is  be- 
tween us  and  the  sun,  and  in  the  night  when  we  roll 
back  around  we  face  the  sun  again." 

"You've  read  a  lot  of  books,  Paul,  forty  or  fifty,  I 
s'pose,  an'  I  believe  most  that  you  say,  but  you  can't 
make  me  believe  a  thing  like  that.  Don't  I  see  the  sun 
set,  an'  don't  I  see  it  rise?  What's  print  to  a  fellow's 
eyes?    Print  can  lie,  but  your  eyes  don't." 

Paul  did  not  deem  it  worth  while  to  argue.  In  a 
few  more  minutes  the  sun  was  hidden  behind  the  turn- 
ing earth,  leaving  great  bands  of  gold  and  blue  and 

21 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

pink,  which,  in  their  turn,  faded  fast,  giving  place  to 
the  gray  of  coming  twilight. 

The  five  ate  venison,  and  drank  from  the  tiny  brook 
at  the  edge  of  the  cup.  Meanwhile,  full  night  came, 
and  they  prepared  to  go  forth  and  see  what  they 
might  see. 


CHAPTER    II 


THE  BIG  GUNS 


DESPITE  the  brilliant  sunset,  the  night  was 
dark,  drifting  clouds  veiling  the  moon  at  times, 
while  the  stars  lay  hidden  behind  mists  and 
vapors,  making  the  conditions  suitable  for  those  who 
wished  to  scout  and  spy  upon  an  enemy,  as  fierce  and 
implacable  as  the  Indian. 

**A11  that  color  when  the  sun  went  down  means 
rain,"  said  Tom  Ross,  who  was  weatherwise. 

"But  not  tonight,"  said  Henry. 

"No,  not  tonight,  but  tomorrow,  sometime,  it'll 
come,  shore.  Them  warriors  hev  built  up  their  fires 
mighty  big.    Can't  you  smell  the  smoke  ?" 

The  wind  was  blowing  toward  them  and  upon  it 
came  the  faint  odor  of  burning  wood. 

"They're  indulging  in  what  we  would  call  a  fes- 
tival," said  Paul.  "They  must  have  an  immense  bon- 
fire, and  it  must  be  a  huge  camp." 

"Beyond  a  doubt,"  said  Henry. 

Examining  their  weapons  carefully  they  left  the 
cup,  dropping  into  their  usual  order,  as  they  made 
their    silent    way    through    the    forest,    Henry    lead- 

23 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

ing,  the  shiftless  one  next,  then  Paul,  followed  by 
Long  Jim  while  Silent  Tom  covered  the  rear. 
There  was  no  noise  as  they  passed.  They  slipped  by 
the  boughs  and  every  moccasined  foot  instinctively 
avoided  the  rotten  stick  that  would  break  beneath  its 
weight. 

As  they  advanced  the  odor  of  burning  wood  grew 
stronger.  It  might  not  have  been  noticed  by  the 
dwellers  in  peaceful  lands,  but  it  was  obvious  at  once 
to  senses  trained  like  theirs  in  the  hardest  of  all 
schools,  that  of  continuous  danger.  Henry  twice 
heard  the  swish  of  a  heavy  night  bird  over  their  heads, 
but  he  knew  the  sound  and  paid  no  attention  to  it. 
Faint  sliding  noises  in  the  thickets  were  made  by  the 
little  animals,  scuttling  away  in  fright  at  the  odor  of 
man. 

They  crossed  a  shallow  valley,  in  which  the  forest 
was  extremely  dense,  and  emerged  upon  a  low  hill, 
covered  with  oak,  maple  and  elm,  without  much  under- 
growth. Here  Henry  was  the  first  to  see  a  low,  barely 
discernible  light  upon  the  eastern  horizon,  and  he 
called  the  attention  of  the  others  to  it.  All  of  them 
knew  that  it  was  the  glow  of  the  Indian  campfire,  and 
apparently  nothing  but  heavy  forest  lay  between  them 
and  the  flames. 

They  held  a  consultation,  and  agreed  that  Henry  and 
Shif  less  Sol,  the  best  two  trailers,  should  go  forward, 
while  the  other  three  should  remain  in  reserve  to  cover 
their  retreat,  if  it  were  forced,  or  to  go  forward  to 
possible  rescue,  if  they  did  not  return  before  morning. 
The  decision  was  reached  quickly.     The  superiority 

24 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

was  accorded  at  once  and  without  jealousy  to  Henry 
and  the  shiftless  one. 

But  they  moved  forward  in  a  group,  until  the  glow 
rose  higher  and  grew  brighter.  Then  the  three  who 
were  to  stay  lay  close  in  a  clump  of  bushes  growing 
near  the  base  of  a  great  elm  that  Henry  and  Shiftless 
Sol  marked  well.  Faint  whoops  or  their  echo  came  to 
them,  and  they  knew  that  the  warriors  were  rejoicing. 

*'A  mighty  big  camp,  bigger  even  than  we  thought," 
said  Silent  Tom. 

"We'll  soon  see,"  said  Henry,  as  he  and  his  comrade 
in  the  daring  venture  slid  away  among  the  bushes. 
Then  the  two  went  forward  with  unbelievable  skill. 
Not  even  the  ear  of  a  warrior  could  have  heard  them 
fifteen  feet  away,  and  they  never  relaxed  their  caution, 
although  they  did  not  believe  that  the  Indians  were 
keeping  very  close  watch. 

They  had  seen  at  first  a  glow  more  pink  than  red. 
Now  it  was  a  deep  scarlet,  showing  many  leaping 
tongues  against  the  forest.  The  odor  of  burning  wood 
became  strong,  and  they  saw  sparks  and  wisps  of 
smoke  flying  among  the  leaves.  Long  fierce  whoops 
like  the  cry  of  animals  came  at  times,  but  beneath  them 
was  an  incessant  muttering  chant  and  the  low,  steady 
beat  of  some  instrument  like  a  drum. 

"The  war  dance,"  whispered  Henry. 

The  shiftless  one  nodded. 

They  redoubled  their  caution,  creeping  very  slowly, 
lying  almost  flat  upon  the  ground  and  dragging 
their  bodies  forward,  like  crawling  animals.  They 
were  coming  to  one  of  the  openings,  like  a  tiny  prairie, 

25 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

frequent  in  early  Kentucky,  sheltered  on  the  side  they 
were  approaching  by  a  dense  canebrake,  through  which 
they  were  making  their  way. 

The  open  space  was  several  acres  in  extent,  and  at 
the  far  end  were  tepees,  which  the  two  knew  were 
intended  for  chiefs  of  high  degree.  In  the  center 
burned  an  immense  bonfire,  or  rather  a  group  of  bon- 
fires, merged  into  one,  fed  incessantly  by  warriors  who 
dragged  wood  from  the  adjoining  forest,  and  threw 
it  into  the  flames. 

But  it  was  not  the  sight  of  the  fire  or  the  tepees  that 
stirred  Henry.  It  was  tha*-  of  hundreds  of  Indian 
warriors  gathered  and  indulging  in  one  of  those  savage 
festivals  upon  which  nobody  could  look  at  night  with- 
out a  thrill  of  wonder  and  aw  2.  Here  primeval  man 
was  in  his  glory. 

The  Indians  of  North  America  were  a  strange  com- 
pound of  cruelty  and  cunning,  leavened  at  times  by 
nobility  and  self-sacrifice.  Most  of  the  tribes  were 
perfect  little  political  organizations,  and  the  league  of 
the  Iroquois  was  worthy  of  a  highly  civilized  race. 
They  were  creatures  of  circumstances,  and,  while  loyal 
to  friends,  they  were  merciless  to  enemies,  devising 
incredible  methods  of  torture. 

It  was  this  knowledge  that  made  Henry  shudder  as 
he  looked  upon  the  great  camp.  He  knew  the  Indian 
and  liked  him  in  many  respects — his  captivity  in  the 
northwest  had  been  no  pain — but  he  Avas  white  and  he 
must  fight  for  the  white  man,  and  hence  against  the 
red. 

The  warriors  were  intoxicated  not  with  liquor,  but 

26 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

with  the  red  fury  of  the  brain.  Vast  quantities  of 
game,  freshly  dressed,  were  heaped  upon  the  earth. 
Every  man  would  seize  a  piece  to  suit  himself,  broil 
it  hastily  on  coals  and  then  eat.  He  ate  like  the 
savage  he  was,  and  the  amounts  they  devoured  were 
astonishing,  just  as  they  could  fast  an  amazing  number 
of  days,  if  need  be. 

Whenever  one  had  eaten  enough  for  the  time  he 
would  rush  into  a  mass  of  dancers  near  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  opening.  Then  he  w^ould  begin  to  leap 
back  and  forth  and  chant  with  unnatural  energy.  They 
could  keep  up  this  manner  of  dancing  and  singing  for 
many  hours,  and  they  quit  it  only  to  obtain  more  food 
or  to  fall  down  exhausted. 

*Tt's  the  w^ar  dance,"  whispered  Henry. 

Shif'less  Sol  nodded.  It  was,  in  truth,  just  ap- 
proaching its  height  as  the  two  crept  near.  Four 
powerful  warriors,  naked  except  for  the  breech  clout, 
were  beating  incessantly  and  monotonously  upon  the 
Indian  drums.  These  drums  (Ga-no-jo)  were  about  a 
foot  in  height  and  the  drummer  used  a  single  stick. 
The  dance  itself  was  called  by  the  Shawnees,  Sa-ma- 
no-o-no,  which  was  the  name  bestow^ed  upon  this 
nation  by  the  Senecas,  although  the  Iroquois  them- 
selves called  the  dance  Wa-ta-seh. 

Few  white  men  have  looked  upon  such  a  spectacle 
at  such  a  time,  in  the  very  deeps  of  the  wilderness, 
under  a  night  sky,  heavy  w^ith  drifting  clouds.  The 
whole  civilized  world  had  vanished,  gone  utterly  like 
a  wisp  of  vapor  before  a  wind,  and  it  was  peopled  only 
by  these  savage  figures  that  danced  in  the  dusk. 

27 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Near  the  trees  stood  a  group  of  chiefs,  among  whom 
Henry  recognized  Yellow  Panther,  the  Miami,  and 
Red  Eagle,  the  Shawnee,  imposing  men  both,  but  not 
the  equals  of  an  extremely  tall  and  powerful  young 
chief,  who  was  destined  later  to  be  an  important  figure 
in  the  life  of  Henry  Ware.  They  stood  silent,  digni- 
fied, the  presiding  figures  of  the  dance. 

The  war  dnuns  beat  on,  insistent  and  steady,  like 
the  rolling  of  water  down  a  fall.  The  very  monotony 
•  of  the  sound,  the  eternal  harping  upon  one  theme,  con- 
tained power.  Henry,  susceptible  to  the  impressions 
of  the  wilderness,  began  to  feel  that  his  own  brain  w^as 
being  heated  by  it,  and  he  saw  as  through  a  dim.  red 
mist.  The  silent  and  impassive  figures  of  the  chiefs 
seemed  to  grow  in  height  and  size.  The  bonfires 
blazed  higher,  and  the  monotonous  wailing  chant  of 
the  warriors  w^as  penetrated  by  a  ferocious  under  note 
like  the  whine  of  some  great  beast.  He  glanced  at  the 
shiftless  one  and  saw  in  his  eyes  the  same  intense  awed 
look  which  he  knew  was  in  his  own. 

The  mass  of  men  who  had  been  dancing  stopped 
suddenly,  and  the  chant  stopped  with  them.  The  war- 
riors gathered  into  two  great  masses,  a  lane  between 
them.  Save  the  chiefs,  all  were  naked  to  the  breech 
clout,  and  from  perspiring  bodies  the  odor  of  the  wild 
arose. 

The  fires  were  blazing  tremendously,  sending  off 
smoke,  ashes  and  sparks  that  floated  over  the  trees  and 
were  borne  far  by  the  wind.  At  intervals,  prolonged 
war  whoops  were  uttered,  and,  heavy  with  menace, 
they  rang  far  through  the  woods,  startling  and  distinct. 

28 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

Then  from  the  edge  of  the  forest  emerged  about 
forty  warriors  painted  and  decorated  in  a  wildly  fan- 
tastic manner  and  wearing  headdresses  of  feathers. 
The  drums  beat  again,  furiously  now,  and  the  men  be- 
gan to  dance,  swinging  to  and  fro  and  writhing.  At 
the  same  time  they  sang  a  war  song  of  fierce,  choppy 
words,  and  those  who  were  not  dancing  sang  with 
them. 

The  lane  wound  around  and  around,  and,  as  the 
singers  and  dancers  went  forward  they  increased  in 
vehemence.  They  were  transported,  like  men  who 
have  taken  some  powerful  drug,  and  their  emotions 
were  quickly  communicated  to  all  the  rest  of  the  band. 
Fierce  howls  rose  above  the  chant  of  the  war  songs. 
W^arriors  leaping  high  in  the  air  made  the  imaginary 
motions  of  killing  and  scalping  an  enemy.  Then  their 
long  yells  of  triumph  would  swell  above  the  universal 
chant. 

All  the  while  it  was  growing  darker  in  the  forest. 
The  heavy  drifting  clouds  completely  hid  the  moon  and 
stars.  The  sky  was  black  and  menacing,  and  the  cir- 
cular ring  of  woods  looked  solid  like  a  wall.  But 
within  this  ring  the  heat  and  fury  grew.  The  violence 
and  endurance  of  the  dancers  were  incredible,  and  the 
shouting  chant  of  the  multitude  urged  them  on. 

Henry  caught  sight  of  a  white  figure  near  the  chiefs, 
and  He  recognized  the  young  renegade,  Braxton  Wyatt. 
Just  behind  him  was  another  and  older  renegade 
named  Blackstaffe,  famed  along  the  whole  border  for 
his  cunning  and  cruelty.  Then  he  saw  men,  a  half- 
dozen  of  them,  in  the  red  uniforms  of  British  officers, 

29 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  behind  them  two  monstrous  dark  shapes  on  wheels. 

*'Can  those  be  cannon?"  he  whispered  to  Shif'less 
Sol. 

'They  kin  be  an'  they  are.  I  reckon  the  British  alHes 
o'  the  Injuns  hev  brought  'em  from  Detroit  to  batter 
down  the  paHsades  o'  our  little  settlements." 

Henry  felt  a  thrill  of  horror.  He  knew  that  they 
were  cannon,  but  he  had  hoped  that  the  shiftless  one 
would  persuade  him  they  wxre  not.  They  were  prob- 
ably the  first  cannon  ever  seen  in  that  wilderness,  the 
sisters  of  those  used  later  with  success  by  the  Indians 
under  English  leadership  and  with  English  cannoneers 
from  Detroit  against  tw^o  little  settlements  in  Kentucky. 

But  startled  as  Henry  was,  his  attention  turned  back 
to  the  dancers.  Old  customs,  the  habits  of  far-ofif 
ancestors,  slumbered  in  him,  and  despite  himself  some- 
thing wild  and  fierce  in  his  blood  again  responded  to 
the  primeval  appeal  the  warriors  were  making.  A  red 
haze  floated  before  his  eyes.  The  tide  of  battle  surged 
through  his  blood,  and,  then,  with  a  fierce  warning  to 
himself,  he  stilled  his  quivering  body  and  crouched 
low  again. 

A  long  time  they  watched.  When  a  dancer  fell  ex- 
hausted another  leaped  gladly  into  his  place.  The 
unconscious  man  was  dragged  to  one  side,  and  left 
until  he  might  recover. 

"I  think  we've  seen  enough,  don't  you?"  whispered 
Henry,    "I'd  feel  better  if  I  were  further  away."- 

"Stirs  me  like  that  too,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "It  ain't 
healthy  fur  us  to  stay  here  any  longer.  'Sides,  we 
know  all  we  want  to  know.    This  is  a  big  war  party, 

30 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

mostly  Miamis  and  Shawnees,  with  some  Wyandots 
an'  a  few  Iroquois  and  Delawares." 

"And  the  EngHsh  and  the  cannon." 

"Yes,  Henry,  an'  I  don't  like  the  looks  o'  them  can- 
non, the  first,  I  reckon,  that  ever  come  across  the  Ohio. 
Our  palisades  can  turn  the  bullets  easy  'nuff,  but  they'd 
fly  like  splinters  before  twelve  pound  round  shot." 

"Then,"  said  Henry  with  sudden  emphasis,  "it's  the 
business  of  us  five  to  see  that  those  two  big  guns  never 
appear  before  Wareville  or  Marlowe,  where  I  imagine 
they  intend  to  take  them !" 

"Henry,  you  hit  the  nail  squar'  on  the  head  the  fust 
time.  Ef  we  kin  stop  them  two  cannon  it'll  be  ez  much 
ez  winnin'  a  campaign.  I  think  we'd  better  go  back 
now%  an'  j'in  the  others,  don't  you?" 

"Yes,  I  don't  see  that  we  can  do  anydiing  at  present. 
But  Sol,  we  must  stop  those  cannon  some  way  or  other. 
We  beat  off  a  great  attack  at  Wareville  once,  but  we 
couldn't  stand  half  a  day  before  the  big  guns.  How 
are  we  to  do  it  ?    Tell  me,  Sol,  how  are  we  to  do  it  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  Henry,  but  we  kin  hang  on.  You 
know  we've  always  hung  on,  an'  by  hangin'  on  we 
gen'rally  win.  It's  a  long  way  to  Wareville,  an'  while 
red  warriors  kin  travel  fast  cannon  can't  get  through 
a  country  covered  ez  thick  with  woods  an'  bushes  ez 
this  is.  They'll  hev  to  cut  a  road  fur  'em  nigh  all  the 
way." 

"That's  so,"  said  Henry  more  hopefully.  "They'll 
have  to  go  mighty  slow  with  those  big  guns  through 
the  forests  and  thickets  and  canebrake,  and  across  so 
many  rivers  and  creeks.     W^e'll  hang  on,  as  you  say, 

31 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  it  may  give  us  a  chance  to  act.  I  feel  better  al- 
ready." 

"They  ain't  likely  to  move  fur  a  day  or  two,  Henry. 
After  the  dances  an'  the  big  eatin'  they'll  lay  'roun'  'till 
they've  slep'  it  all  off,  an'  nobody  kin  move  'em  'till 
they  git  ready,  even  if  them  British  officers  talk  'till 
their  heads  ache.  They're  goin'  on  with  the  dancin' 
too.     Hear  them  whoops." 

The  long  shrill  cries  uttered  by  the  warriors  still 
reached  them,  as  they  stole  away.  Henry  passed  his 
hand  across  his  forehead.  All  tliat  strange  influence 
was  gone  now.  He  no  longer  saw  the  red  mist,  and 
his  heart  ceased  to  beat  like  a  hammer.  The  healthy 
normal  forest  was  around  him,  full  of  dangers,  it  was 
true,  but  of  dangers  that  he  could  meet  with  decision 
and  judgment. 

They  returned  rapidly,  but  occasionally  they  looked 
back  at  the  red  glare  showing  above  the  trees,  and  for 
most  of  the  way  the  faint  echoes  of  the  w^hoops  came 
to  them.  When  they  approached  the  bushes  in  which 
they  had  left  the  others  Henry  uttered  a  low  whistle 
which  w^as  promptly  answered  in  like  fashion  by  Silent 
Tom. 

"What  did  you  see?"  asked  Paul,  as  they  emerged 
from  their  hiding  place. 

"Nigh  on  to  a  thousand  warriors,"  replied  Shif'less 
Sol,  "an'  it  was  a  mighty  fine  com.p'ny  too.  We  saw 
two  chiefs.  Yellow  Panther,  the  Miami,  an'  Red  Eagle, 
the  Shawnee,  that  we've  had  dealin's  with  before,  an' 
our  old  friend  Braxton  Wyatt,  an'  the  big  renegade 
Blackstaffe,  an'  British  officers.'* 

32 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

"British  officers!"  exclaimed  Paul.  "What  are  they 
doing  there?" 

"You  know  that  our  people  in  the  East  are  at  war 
with  Britain,"  said  Henry,  "and  I  suppose  these  offi- 
cers and  some  men  too  have  come  from  Detroit  to 
help  the  warriors  wipe  us  out  in  Kentucky.  They've 
brought  with  them  also  two  very  formidable  allies, 
the  like  of  which  were  never  seen  in  these  woods 
before." 

"Two  new  and  strange  allies,  Henry?"  said  Paul. 
"What  do  you  mean?" 

"Something  that  rolls  along  on  w^heels,  and  that 
speaks  with  a  voice  like  thunder." 

"I  don't  understand  yet." 

"And  when  it  speaks  it  hurls  forth  a  missile  that 
can  smash  through  a  palisade  like  a  stone  through 
glass." 

"It  must  be  cannon.  You  surely  don't  mean  cannon, 
Henry?" 

"I  do.  The  big  guns  have  crossed  the  Ohio.  The 
Indians  or  rather  the  English  with  'em,  mean  to  use 
'em  against  us.  It's  our  business  to  destroy  'em.  Sol 
and  I  have  agreed  on  that,  and  you  are  with  us,  are 
you  not  ?" 

"O'  course!"  said  Tom  Ross. 

"Uv  course !"  said  Long  Jim. 

"Through  everything,"  said  Paul. 

"What  do  you  think  we'd  better  do  right  now?" 
asked  Ross. 

"Go  back  to  the  cup  and  sleep,"  replied  Henry.  "It'll 
be  safe.     The  Indians  will  be  so  gorged  from  their 

33 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

orgie,  and  will  feel  so  secure  from  attack  that  they'll 
hardly  have  a  scout  in  the  forest  tomorrow." 

*'Good  plan,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  *'I  expect  to  be 
in  that  shady  little  place  in  a  half-hour.  Long  Jim  here, 
havin'  nothin'  else  to  do,  will  watch  over  me  all  through 
the  rest  of  the  night,  an'  tomorrow  when  the  sun  comes 
out  bright,  he'll  be  settin'  by  my  side  keepin'  the  flies 
off  me,  an'  me  still  sleepin'  ez  innercent  ez  a  baby." 

"That  won't  happen  in  the  next  thousand  years," 
said  Long  Jim.  "Ef  thar's  anything  fannin'  you  to- 
morrow, when  you  wake  up,  a  Shawnee  or  a  Miami 
warrior  will  be  doin'  it  with  a  tomahawk." 

They  quickly  retraced  their  course  to  the  cup,  being 
extremely  careful  to  leave  no  trail,  and  were  about  to 
make  ready  for  the  night.  Every  one  of  them  carried 
a  light  blanket,  but  very  closely  woven  and  warm,  upon 
which  he  usually  slept,  drawing  a  fold  over  him.  The 
dry  leaves  and  the  blankets  would  make  a  bed  good 
enough  for  any  forest  rover  at  that  time  of  the  year, 
but  Henry  noticed  a  stone  outcrop  in  a  hill  above  them 
and  concluded  to  look  farther. 

"Wait  till  I  come  back,"  he  said,  and  he  pushed  his 
way  through  the  bushes. 

The  outcrop  was  of  the  crumbling  limestone  that 
imparts  inexhaustible  fertility  to  the  soil  of  a  great 
region  in  Kentucky.  It  is  this  decaying  stone  or  a 
stone  closely  akin  which  makes  it  the  most  wonderful 
cave  region  in  the  world. 

Higher  up  the  slope  Henry  found  deep  alcoves  in 
the  stone,  most  of  them  containing  leaves,  and  also  a 
strong  animal  odor,  which  showed  that  in  the  w^inter 

34 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

they  had  been  occupied  as  lairs  by  wild  animals,  prob- 
ably bears. 

Looking  a  little  farther  he  found  one  that  penetrated 
deeper  than  the  rest.  It  might  almost  have  l^ecn  called 
a  cave.  It  was  so  placed  that  at  that  time  of  night  the 
opening  faced  a  bit  of  the  moon  that  had  made  a  way 
through  the  clouds,  and,  Henry  peering  into  the  dusky 
interior,  judged  that  it  ran  back  about  twenty  feet. 
There  was  no  odor  to  suggest  that  it  had  been  used 
as  a  lair,  perhaps  because  the  animals  liked  the  alcoves 
better. 

He  threw  in  some  twigs,  but,  no  growl  coming  forth, 
he  entered  boldly  through  an  aperture  about  three  feet 
across  and  perhaps  five  feet  high.  He  stepped  on 
smooth  stone,  but  as  soon  as  he  was  inside  he  stopped 
and  listened  intently.  He  heard  a  faint  trickling  sound, 
evidently  from  the  far  side  of  the  cave,  which  appeared 
to  be  both  deeper  and  wider  than  he  had  thought. 

Henry  surmised  that  the  sound  was  made  by  running 
water,  and  standing  a  long  time,  until  his  eyes  could 
grow  used,  in  some  degree,  to  the  dusky  interior,  he, 
at  length,  made  out  the  opposite  wall  which  was  of 
white  stone.  Stepping  carefully  he  found  that  a  tiny 
stream  flowed  in  a  groove  made  by  itself,  coming  out 
of  one  side  of  the  w^all  and  disappearing  in  the  other. 

It  was  such  a  thin  little  stream  that  it  created  no 
dampness  in  the  cave  and  Henry,  drinking  some  of 
the  w^ater  from  the  palm  of  his  hand,  found  it  fresh  and 
cold.  He  experienced  a  singular  pleasure  in  discover- 
ing the  water,  one  that  he  did  not  understand.  Per- 
haps it  was  a  prevision. 

35 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

He  explored  fully  this  room  in  stone,  and  found  it 
dry  and  clean  throughout.  His  ancestors,  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  years  ago,  would  have  rejoiced  to  find 
such  a  place,  and  Henry  rejoiced  now  for  reasons  which 
"were  akin  to  theirs.    He  returned  quickly  to  the  cup. 

"We  won't  sleep  here,"  he  said. 

"Why  not  ?"  asked  Paul. 

"Because  I've  found  a  better  place.'' 

"But  this  is  fine." 

"I  know,  but  I  have  a  finer." 

"What  is  it?" 

"A  beautiful  stone  mansion,  built  generations  ago. 
It  has  no  furniture  in  it  now,  but  we  don't  need  any. 
It's  built  very  solidly  and  it's  been  waiting  for  us  a 
long  time." 

"A  hole  in  the  limestone,"  hazarded  Shi  f 'less  Sol. 

"Partly  right.  It's  more  than  a  hole.  It's  a  room, 
and  we've  had  great  luck  to  find  it,  I  tell  you,  this  stone 
room  specially  made  a  million  years  ago  for  our  use." 

"Well,  it's  been  waitin'  a  good  while,  but  we're 
here." 

"Come  along,  I'll  lead  you,"  said  Henry,  "and  be 
sure  not  to  leave  any  trace  of  a  trail.  This  house  is 
intended  for  us  only,  and  we  don't  want  any  wandering 
warriors,  no  matter  what  their  nation,  knocking  at 
our  doors." 

"Hurry,"  said  Shifless  Sol.  "I'm  gittin'  pow'ful 
sleepy." 

Henry  led  the  way,  and,  as  he  did  so,  taking  a  com- 
prehensive look  at  the  heavens,  he  was  glad  for  other 
reasons  as  well  as  safety  that  they  had  found  their 

36 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

stone  house  in  the  hill.  The  bit  of  a  moon  was  gone 
and  the  clouds  hung  lower  and  darker.  He  felt  the 
damp  in  the  air. 

The  mouth  of  the  cave  was  almost  hidden  by  a  heavy 
growth  of  bushes,  but  Henry,  pulling  them  aside  a 
little,  pointed  to  the  opening. 

*Tn  there  with  you,"  he  said  to  Long  Jim,  who  was 
nearest. 

"Who  ?  Me  ?"  said  Long  Jim,  "an'  run  squar'  into 
a  b'ar's  mouth  ?  Let  Sol  go.  He's  the  fattest,  an'  the 
b'ar  would  like  him  best." 

"No  bear  is  inside,"  said  Henry.  "I've  seen  to  that. 
A  herd  of  about  fifty  was  in  there,  the  first  bear  herd 
I  ever  saw,  but  I  killed  them  all  with  my  knife  and 
threw  them  down  the  cliff  before  I  saw  you." 

"Then  ez  you've  cleared  out  the  place,  Henry,"  said 
Long  Jim,  "I  guess  it's  all  safe,  an'  here  goes." 

He  bent  down  from  his  mighty  height  and  entered, 
the  others  following  silently  in  single  file,  swallowed 
up  by  the  dusk.  Then  they  stood  in  a  group,  until  they 
could  see  one  another,  the  faint  light  from  the  door 
helping. 

"Well,"  said  Henry,  proudly,  "haven't  I  done  well 
by  you  ?  Isn't  our  new  house  equal  to  my  announce- 
ment of  it  ?" 

"Equal,  and  more  than  equal !"  exclaimed  Paul  with 
enthusiasm.  "Why,  we  haven't  had  such  a  place  since 
that  time  we  lived  on  the  island  in  the  lake,  and  this 
is  a  greater  protection  from  danger." 

"An'  we  hev  plenty  o'  water,  too,  I  see,"  said  Shif- 
less  Sol.     "Look  at  the  river  over  thar,  runnin'  along 

37 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIi: 

ag'in  the  wall.  'Tain't  more'n  three  inches  wide,  an* 
an  inch  deep,  but  it  runs  fast." 

"I've  no  doubt  that  a  cave  family  lived  here  two  or 
three  hundred  thousand  years  ago,"  said  Paul,  his  vivid 
fancy  blossoming  forth  at  once. 

"What  are  you  talkin'  about,  Paul  ?"  said  Long  Jim. 
"People  livin'  here  two  or  three  hundred  thousand 
years  ago !  Why,  the  world  is  only  six  thousand  years 
old !    The  Bible  says  so !" 

"In  the  Biblical  sense  a  year  did  not  mean  what  a 
year  does  now,  Jim.  It  may  have  been  a  thousand 
times  as  long.  Men  did  live  in  caves  several  hundred 
thousand  years  ago.  A  book  that  Mr.  Pennypacker  has 
says  so." 

"If  the  book  says  it,  I  reckon  it's  so,"  said  Long  Jim, 
with  the  borderer's  sublime  faith  in  the  printed  word. 

"The  man  of  that  time  was  a  big,  hairy  fellow.  He 
didn't  have  even  bows  and  arrows.  He  fought  with 
a  stone  club  or  ax  of  stone." 

"An'  do  you  mean  to  tell  me,  Paul,  that  a  man  with 
jest  a  club  could  go  out  an'  meet  the  arrers  of  the  In- 
juns? Why,  all  uv  them  warriors  kin  shoot  arrers 
pow'ful  hard  an'  straight.  What  chance  would  the 
man  with  the  club  hev  had  ?" 

"There  were  no  Indians  then,  Jim." 

"No  Injuns  then !"  exclaimed  Long  Jim  indignantly. 
"Why  the  fust  white  man  that  ever  come  through  these 
parts  found  the  woods  full  uv  'em.  I  take  a  heap  from 
you,  Paul,  'cause  you're  an  eddicated  boy,  but  I  can't 
swaller  this." 

"I'll  prove  it  to  you  some  day,"  said  Paul  laughing, 

38 


THE    BIG    GUNS 

*'but  whether  you  beHeve  me  or  not  this  place  suits  us." 

*'Ho\v  much  venison  have  we  got,  Tom?"  asked 
Henry. 

"  'Nough  in  a  pinch  to  last  three  days." 

"Now  you  fellers  kin  keep  on  talkin'  ef  you  want  to," 
said  the  shiftless  one,  "but  ez  fur  me  I'm  a  man  o' 
sense,  a  lazy  man  who  don't  work  when  he  don't  hev 
to,  an'  I'm  goin'  to  sleep." 

He  spread  his  blanket  on  the  stone  floor,  lay  down 
and  kept  his  word. 

"We  might  as  well  follow,"  said  Henry.  "Sol's  a 
man  of  intelligence, '  and,  as  he  says,  when  there's 
nothing  to  do,  rest." 

"I  ain't  sleepy,"  said  Tom  Ross.  "Guess  there's  no 
need  uv  a  watch,  but  I'll  keep  it  awhile,  anyhow." 

He  sat  down  on  his  blanket  and  leaned  against  the 
wall,  near  the  mouth  of  the  room.  The  others  stretched 
out,  even  as  Shif'less  Sol  had  done,  and  breathing  a 
sigh  or  two  of  satisfaction  followed  him  into  a  land 
without  dreams. 

Although  Henry's  sleep  was  dreamless,  it  did  not 
last  very  long.  He  awoke  in  three  or  four  hours.  It 
w^as  quite  dark,  but,  as  he  lay  on  his  back  and  gazed 
steadily,  he  was  able  to  make  out  the  figure  of  Silent 
Tom,  crouched  on  his  blanket  beside  the  door,  his  rifle 
across  his  knees.  Although  saying  nothing  Henry  had 
paid  attention  to  what  Paul  had  said  about  the  ancient 
cave  man,  and  now  it  was  easy  for  his  fancy  to  trans- 
form Ross  into  such  a  being.  The  rifle  on  his  knees 
was  his  stone  club,  and  he  watched  by  the  opening  all 
through  the  night  lest  an  enemy  should  come.    For  the 

39 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

present,  at  least,  it  was  as  much  reality  as  fancy,  be- 
cause here  was  the  cave,  and  here  they  were,  guarding 
against  a  possible  foe. 

"Tom,''  he  called  softly. 

Ross  looked  around. 

"What  is  it?'' he  asked. 

*T'm  restless.  I  can't  sleep  any  more,  and,  as  I'm 
going  to  stay  by  the  opening,  you'd  better  persuade 
yourself  to  go  to  sleep." 

"Are  you  bent  on  watchin',  Henry?" 

"Yes,  I  intend  to  sit  up." 

"Then  I'll  go  to  sleep." 

He  lay  down  on  his  blanket,  and  Henry  took  his  place 
by  the  wall. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE  INDIAN  CAMP 

THE  position  of  the  great  youth  was  comfort- 
able, as  he  sat  upon  his  blanket,  the  curve  of 
the  wall  fitting  into  the  curve  of  his  back,  his 
rifle  resting  across  his  knee,  and  his  figure  motionless. 
He  carried  in  his  belt  a  pistol,  the  keen  hatchet  of  the 
border  and  also  a  long  hunting  knife,  but  it  was  the 
rifle  upon  which  he  depended  mainly,  a  beautiful  piece, 
with  its  carved  stock  and  long  blue  barrel,  and  in  the 
hands  of  its  owner  the  deadliest  weapon  on  the  border. 

Henry,  like  Tom,  did  not  stir.  He  was  a  match  for 
any  Indian  in  impassivity,  and  every  nerve  rested  while 
he  thus  retained  complete  command  over  his  body.  He 
could  see  from  his  position  the  bushes  beyond  the  open- 
ing, and,  above  them,  a  broad  belt  of  black  sky.  He 
rejoiced  again  that  they  had  found  this  cave  or  rather 
stone  room  as  they  called  it. 

The  dark  heavens  were  full  of  threat,  the  air  heavy 
with  damp,  and  low  thunder  was  just  beginning  to 
mutter.  Tom  Ross  had  read  the  gorgeous  sunset 
aright.  It  betokened  a  storm,  and  the  most  hardened 
hunters  and  scout3  were  glad  of  shelter  when  the  great 

41 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

winds  and  rains  came.  The  dryness  and  safety  of  the 
room  made  Henry  feel  all  the  more  snug  and  content, 
in  contrast  with  what  was  about  to  happen  outside.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  Providence  had  watched  over 
them.  Truly  they  had  never  known  a  finer  or  better 
place. 

His  mind  traveled  again  to  those  old,  bygone  people 
of  whom  Paul  had  talked,  how  they  lived  in  caves,  and 
had  fought  the  great  animals  with  stone  clubs.  But  he 
had  a  better  room  in  the  stone  than  most  of  theirs,  and 
the  rifle  on  his  knees  was  far  superior  to  any  club  that 
was  ever  made.  His  nerves  quivered  beneath  a  thrill 
of  pleasure  that  was  both  mental  and  physical.  His 
eyes  had  learned  to  cope  with  the  dusk  in  the  room,  and 
he  could  see  his  four  comrades  stretched  upon  their 
blankets.  All  were  sleeping  soundly  and  he  would  let 
them  sleep  on  of  their  own  accord,  because  there  was 
no  need  now  to  move. 

The  mutter  of  the  thunder  grew  a  little  louder,  as 
if  the  electricity  were  coming  up  on  the  horizon.  And 
he  saw  lightning,  dim  at  first  and  very  distant,  then 
growing  brighter  until  it  came,  keen,  hard  and  brilHant, 
in  flashing  strokes.  Henry  was  not  awed  at  all.  Within 
his  safe  shelter  his  spirit  leaped  up  to  meet  it. 

The  thunder  now  broke  near  in  a  series  of  fierce 
crashes,  and  the  lightning  was  so  burning  bright  that 
it  dazzled  his  eyes.  One  bolt  struck  near  with  a  tre- 
mendous shock  and  the  air  was  driven  in  violent  waves 
into  the  very  mouth  of  the  cave.  Shif'less  Sol  awoke 
and  sat  up. 

"A  storm !"  he  said. 

42 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

"Yes,"  replied  Henry,  "but  it  can't  reach  us  here. 
lYou  might  as  well  go  back  to  sleep,  Sol." 

"Bein'  a  lazy  man  who  knows  how  an*  when  to  be 
lazy,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  'Til  do  it." 

In  a  few  minutes  he  was  as  sound  asleep  as  ever, 
while  Henry  continued  to  watch  the  storm.  The  sky 
was  perfectly  black,  save  when  the  lightning  blazed 
across  it,  and  the  thunder  rolled  and  crashed  w^ith  ex- 
traordinary violence.  But  he  now  heard  an  under  note, 
one  that  he  knew,  the  swish  of  the  wind.  It,  too,  grew 
fast  and  he  dimly  saw  leaves  and  the  branches  of  trees 
flying  past.  It  was  certainly  good  to  be  in  the  snug 
stone  covert  that  he  had  found  for  himself  and  his 
friends ! 

The  lightning  became  less  bright  and  the  thunder 
began  to  die.  Then  the  wind  came  with  a  mighty 
sweep  and  roar  and  Henry  heard  the  drops  of  rain, 
striking  on  leaf  and  bough  like  bullets.  He  also  heard 
the  crash  of  falling  trees,  and  one  was  blown  down 
directly  in  front  of  the  opening,  hiding  it  almost  com- 
pletely. He  was  not  sorry.  Some  instinct  warned 
him  that  this  too  was  a  lucky  chance.  The  rain  came 
in  driven  torrents,  but  it  passed  the  mouth  of  the  cave 
and  they  were  as  dry  and  comfortable  as  ever. 

The  thunder  and  lightning  ceased  entirely,  by  and 
by,  and  Henry  sat  in  the  dark  listening  to  the  rush  of 
the  rain,  which  came  now  in  a  strong  and  steady  sweep 
like  the  waves  of  the  sea.  He  listened  to  it  a  long  time, 
never  moving,  and  at  last  he  saw  a  thin  shade  of  gray 
appear  in  the  eastern  sky.  Day  was  near,  although  it 
would  be  dark  with  the  storm.     But  that  need  not 

43 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

trouble  them.  On  the  other  hand  it  would  be  to  their 
advantage.  The  great  camp  of  the  Indians  would  be 
broken  up  for  a  while,  and  they  must  long  since  have 
sought  what  shelter  they  could  find.  They  could  not 
advance  for  two  or  three  days  at  least,  while  the  five 
lay  in  a  splendid  covert  only  two  miles  from  them. 

Laggard  day  came,  with  a  dusky  sky,  obscured  by 
heavy  clouds  and  the  rain  still  pouring.  It  was  several 
hours  after  sunrise  before  it  ceased  and  the  sky  began 
to  clear.    Then  the  others  awoke  and  looked  out. 

"A  big  storm  and  I  never  heard  a  thing,"  said  Paul. 

"No,  Paul,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "you  didn't  hear 
it  but  it  came  ofif  anyway.  You're  a  mighty  good 
sleeper,  you  are,  Paul.  Put  you  atween  fine  white 
sheets,  w^ith  a  feather  bed  under  your  body  an'  a  silk 
piller  under  your  head,  an'  I  reckon  you'd  sleep  a  week 
an'  be  happy  all  the  time." 

"I  suppose  I  would.     It's  a  sound  conscience,  Sol." 

"I  heard  somethin'  once,"  said  Long  Jim,  "but 
knowin'  I  wuz  in  the  best  place  in  the  world  I  didn't 
open  my  eyes.  I  jest  went  to  sleep  ag'in  an'  now,  ef 
thar  wuz  anythin'  to  cook  an'  any  place  to  cook  it  I'd 
git  the  finest  breakfast  any  uv  you  fellers  ever  et." 

"We  know  that,  Jim,"  said  Henry,  "but  we'll  have 
to  stick  to  the  dried  venison  for  the  present.  You'll 
find  plenty  of  drinking  water  over  there  by  the  wall. 
Do  you  notice  that  our  river  has  risen  a  full  inch  ?" 

"So  it  has,"  said  Paul.  "The  rain,  of  course.  Since 
we've  had  this  noble  inn  I'm  not  sorry  about  the  storm. 
It  will  stop  the  march  of  that  Indian  army." 

"And  also  hide  any  trail  that  we  may  have  left  yes- 

44 


THE    IxNDIAN    CAMP 

terday  or  last  night,"  said  Henry  with  satisfaction. 

"What  do  you  think  we  ought  to  do  now,  Henry?" 
asked  Shif'less  Sol. 

''Eat  our  breakfasts,  that  is,  chew  our  venison.  I 
don't  believe  we  can  do  anything  today,  and  there  is 
no  need,  since  the  Indians  can't  move.  We'll  stay  here 
in  hiding,  and  at  night  we'll  go  out  again  to  explore." 

"A  whole  day's  rest,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  with 
deep  approval.  "Nothin'  to  do  but  eat  an'  sleep,  an' 
lay  back  here  an'  think.  I'm  not  eddicated  like  you  an' 
Henry,  Paul,  but  I  kin  do  a  power  o'  hard  thinkin'. 
Now,  ef  Jim  tries  to  think  it  makes  his  head  ache  so 
bad  that  he  has  to  quit,  but  I  guess  he's  lucky  any- 
way, 'cause  we're  always  doin'  his  thinkin'  fur  him, 
while  he's  takin'  his  ease  an'  bein'  happy." 

"Ef  I  had  been  dependin'  on  your  thinkin',  Shif'less 
Sol,"  said  Long  Jim,  "my  scalp  would  hev  been  hangin' 
from  an'  Injun  lodge  pole  long  ago." 

"Well,  it  would  look  well  hangin'  thar.  You  hev  got 
good  thick  hair.  Long  Jim." 

They  finished  their  breakfast,  and  all  of  them  sat 
down  near  the  opening.  The  fallen  tree,  while  it  hid 
the  aperture,  did  not  cut  off  their  ow^n  view.  They 
were  so  close  to  it  that  they  could  see  well  between  the 
boughs  and  leaves.  The  rising  sun,  brilliant  and  power- 
ful, had  now  driven  away  all  the  clouds.  The  sky  was 
once  more  a  shining  blue,  all  the  brighter  because  it  had 
been  washed  and  scoured  anew  by  wind  and  rain.  The 
green  of  the  forest,  dripping  everywhere  with  water, 
looked  deeper  and  more  vigorous.  Down  in  the  valley 
they  heard  the  foaming  of  a  brook  that  had  suddenly 

45 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

become  a  torrent,  and  which  with  equal  suddenness 
would  return  to  its  usual  size. 

They  remained  all  day  in  their  retreat,  seeing  thin 
threads  of  smoke  three  or  four  times  against  the  blue 
sky,  an  indication  that  the  warriors  had  built  their 
campfires  anew,  and  were  trying  to  dry  themselves  out. 
Indians  as  well  as  white  men  suffer  from  rain  and  cold 
and  Henry  knew  that  they  would  be  sluggish  and  care- 
less that  night.  There  was  a  bare  chance  that  the  five 
might  get  at  the  cannon  and  ruin  them  in  some  manner, 
although  they  had  not  yet  thought  of  a  way. 

It  was  decided  that  Henry  and  Shi f 'less  Sol  should 
make  the  second  expedition,  Paul,  Tom  Ross  and  Long 
Jim  remaining  as  a  reserve  within  their  stone  walls. 
The  tw^o  did  not  disturb  the  fallen  tree  at  the  entrance, 
but  slipped  out  between  the  boughs,  and  walking  on 
dead  leaves  and  fallen  brushw^ood,  in  order  to  leave 
as  little  trace  as  possible,  reached  the  valley  below. 
This  low  area  of  land  was  studded  for  a  long  distance 
with  new  pools  of  water,  which  would  disappear 
the  next  day,  and  the  ground  was  so  soft  that  they 
took  to  the  bordering  forest  in  order  to  escape  the 
mud. 

"  Tears  likely  to  me,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  ''that 
them  Britishers  had  tents.  They  wouldn't  go  on  so 
long  an  expedition  as  this  without  'em.  It's  probable 
then  that  we'll  find  the  renegades  in  or  about  'em." 

''Sounds  as  if  it  might  be  that  way,"  said  Henry. 
"The  site  of  their  camp  is  not  more  than  a  mile  distant 
now,  and  the  tents  may  be  pitched  somewhere  in  the 
woods." 

46 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

"Reckon  we're  near,  Henry,  I  smell  smoke,  and  it's 
the  smoke  that  comes  out  of  a  pipe." 

"I  smell  it  too.  It's  straight  ahead.  It  must  be  one 
of  the  officers.  We'll  have  to  be  slow  and  mighty- 
particular.  There's  a  big  moon  and  all  the  stars  are 
out." 

The  night,  as  if  to  atone  for  the  one  that  had  gone 
before,  was  particularly  brilliant.  The  dripping  woods 
were  luminous  with  silvery  moonlight  and  the  three 
used  every  tree  and  bush  as  they  approached  the  point 
from  which  the  tobacco  smoke  came.  The  woods  were 
so  dense  there  that  they  heard  the  men  before  they 
saw  them.  It  was  first  a  hum  of  voices  and  then 
articulated  words. 

"It  seems  that  these  forest  expeditions  are  not  to  be 
taken  lightly,  Wyatt,"  said  a  heavy  growling  voice. 

"No,  Colonel  Alloway,"  Braxton  Wyatt  replied  in 
smooth  tones.  "There  are  no  roads  in  the  wilderness. 
If  we  want  one  we'll  have  to  make  it.  It's  the  cannon 
that  hold  us  back." 

"The  Indians  could  move  fast  w^ithout  them." 

"Yes,  sir,  but  we  must  have  'em.  We  can't  break 
through  the  palisades  without  'em." 

"Why,  young  sir,  these  red  warriors  can  annihilate 
anything  to  be  found  in  Kentucky!" 

"They  did  not  do  it,  sir,  when  we  attacked  Ware- 
ville  last  year." 

"Lack  of  leadership!    Lack  of  leadership!" 

"If  you'll  pardon  me,  sir,  I  don't  think  it  was.  The 
Indians  have  to  fight  in  their  own  way,  and  the  Ken- 
tucky riflemen  are  the  best  in  the  world.    Why,  sir,  the 

.     47 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

things  they  can  do  with  their  rifles  are  amazing.  A 
musket  is  hke  an  old-fashioned  arquebus  compared 
with  their  long-barreled  weapons.  I  know  one  of  them 
— and  I  must  say  it,  though  I  hate  him — w^ho  could  kill 
running  deer  at  two  hundred  yards,  as  fast  as  you  could 
hand  him  the  rifles,  never  missing  a  shot." 

"A  William  Tell  of  the  woods,  so  to  speak!"  said  the 
heavy,  gruff  voice,  sounding  an  incredulous  note, 

"You'll  believe  me,  sir,  if  you  meet  'em,"  said  Wyatt 
earnestly.  ''I  don't  love  'em  any  more'n  you  do,  much 
less  perhaps,  but  I've  learned  enough  to  dread  their 
rifles.  I  was  telling  you  about  the  one  who  is  such  a 
terrible  marksman,  though  the  others  are  nearly  as 
good.  Last  night  before  the  rain  one  of  the  Wyandots 
found  the  trace  of  a  footstep  in  the  forest.  It  was  a 
trace,  nothing  more,  and  not  even  an  Indian  could  fol- 
low it,  but  I've  an  idea  that  it's  the  very  sharpshooter  I 
was  telling  you  about." 

"And  what  of  it?  Why  should  w^e  care  anything  for 
a  stray  backwoodsman." 

"He's  very  dangerous,  very  dangerous,  sir,  I  repeat, 
and  he's  sure  to  have  four  others  with  him." 

"And  who  are  the  dreadful  five  ?"  There  was  a  note 
of  irony  in  the  voice. 

"The  one  of  whom  I  spoke  is  named  Henry  Ware. 
There  is  another,  a  youth  of  about  his  own  age,  named 
Paul  Cotter.  The  third  is  Solomon  Hyde,  a  man  of 
amazing  skill  and  judgment.  The  other  two  are  Tom 
Ross,  a  wonderful  scout  and  hunter,  and  Long  Jim 
Hart,  the  fastest  runner  in  the  West.  It  was  he  who 
brought  relief,  when  we  had  the  emigrant  train  trapped. 

48 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

I  think  that  all  the  five  are  somewhere  near  and  that 
we  should  beware.'* 

The  heavy,  gruff  voice  was  lifted  again  in  an  ironic 
laugh,  and  Henry,  creeping  a  yard  or  two  more,  saw 
through  the  leaves  the  w'hole  group.  The  English  offi- 
cer whom  Wyatt  had  called  Alloway,  was  a  man  of 
middle  years,  heavily  built.  His  confident  face  and 
aggressive  manner  indicated  that  he  was  some  such 
man  as  Braddock,  who  in  spite  of  every  w^arning  by  the 
colonials,  walked  with  blinded  eyes  into  the  Indian 
trap  at  Fort  Duquesne,  to  have  his  army  and  himself 
slaughtered.  But  now  tlie  English  were  allied  wnth 
the  scalp-takers. 

A  half-dozen  English  officers,  younger  men,  sur- 
rounded Colonel  Alloway,  silent  and  attentive,  while 
their  chief  talked  with  Wyatt.  The  older  renegade, 
Blackstaffe,  was  leaning  against  a  tree,  his  arms  folded 
across  his  chest,  a  sneering  look  upon  his  face.  Henry 
knew  that  he  thought  little  of  European  officers  there 
in  the  woods,  and  out  of  their  element. 

But  the  most  striking  figures  in  the  scene  were  Yel- 
low Panther,  head  chief  of  the  Miamis,  and  Red  Eagle, 
head  chief  of  the  Shawnees.  They  stood  erect  with 
arms  folded,  and  they  had  not  spoken  either  while 
Alloway  and  Wyatt  talked.  They  were  imposing  men, 
not  as  tall  as  the  young  chief  whom  Henry  had  seen 
distantly,  and  who  was  destined  to  have  a  great  part 
in  his  life  later  on,  but  they  w^ere  uncommonly  broad 
of  shoulders  and  chest,  and,  though  elderly  they  were 
at  the  very  height  of  their  mental  and  physical  powers. 

They  were  in  full  war  paint,  their  scalp  locks  were 

49 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIU 

braided  and  each  had  flung  about  him  somewhat  in  the 
manner  of  a  Roman  toga  a  magnificent  blanket  of  the 
finest  weave,  blue  for  Yellow  Panther,  red  for  Red 
Eagle. 

Wyatt  translated  to  them  Alloway's  words,  and  Red 
Eagle  at  length  raising  his  hand  said  to  Wyatt  in 
Shawnee,  which  all  three  of  the  hidden  scouts  under- 
stood perfectly : 

*'Tell  our  white  ally  that  his  words  are  not  those  of 
wisdom.  The  Indian  when  he  goes  upon  the  war  path 
does  not  laugh  at  his  enemy.  He  knows  that  he  is  not 
fighting  with  children  and  he  heeds  the  W'arnings  of 
those  who  understand." 

His  tones  were  full  of  dignity,  but  Wyatt,  when  he 
translated,  softened  the  rebuke.  Nevertheless  enough 
of  it  was  left  to  make  the  arrogant  Colonel  start  a  little, 
and  gaze  with  some  apprehension  at  the  two  massive 
and  silent  figures,  regarding  him  so  steadily.  It  w^as 
likely  too  that  the  grim  forest,  the  overwhelming  char- 
acter of  the  wilderness  in  which  he  stood,  affected  him. 
Without  the  Indians  he  and  his  men  would  be  lost  in 
that  mighty  sweep  of  country. 

*'Tell  the  officers  of  the  King,  across  the  great  salt 
water,"  continued  Red  Eagle  to  Wyatt,  "that  the  w^ord 
has  come  to  us  that  if  we  go  and  destroy  the  settle- 
ments of  the  Yengees,  lest  they  grow  powerful  and 
help  their  brethren  in  the  East  who  are  fighting  against 
the  King  called  George,  we  are  to  receive  great  re- 
wards. We  use  the  tomahawk  for  him  as  w^ell  as  for 
ourselves,  and  while  we  listen  to  AUoway  here,  Allo- 
way  must  listen  also  to  us." 

50 


IIIF,    INDIAN    CAMP 

Wyalt  veiled  his  look  of  safisfadi^n.  He  had  not 
fancied  the  haughty  and  patronizing  m.inner  of 
Alloway,  and  he  was  sure  that  the  Colonel  ws^-'rvSking^ 
too  little  of  the  five  and  their  possible  proximity.  !:)•>* 
spite  himself,  and  the  young  renegade  was  bold,  he  felt 
a  shiver  of  apprehension  lest  the  formidable  group  were 
somewhere  near  in  the  woods.  But  he  added,  speaking 
in  a  more  persuasive  tone  to  Alloway : 

^'You'll  pardon  me,  sir,  but  the  Indian  chiefs  are  in 
their  own  country.  They're  proud  and  resolute  men, 
trusting  in  their  own  methods,  and  they  must  be  hu- 
mored. If  you  don't  defer  somewhat  to  them  it's  quite 
possible  that  they'll  take  all  their  warriors  and  go  back 
to  their  villages." 

Allow^ay's  face  grew  red  with  anger,  but  he  had 
enough  wisdom  and  resolution  to  suppress  it.  He 
looked  around  at  the  vast  and  somber  forest,  in  which 
one  could  be  lost  so  easily,  and  knew  that  he  must  do  so. 

''Very  well,"  he  said,  "the  chiefs  and  I  lead  jointly. 
Ask  them  w^hat  they  want." 

Wyatt  talked  with  the  two  chiefs  and  then  translated : 

"They  w'ish  to  stop  here  a  day  or  two,  until  they  can 
obtain  new  supplies  of  food.  They  wish  to  send  out 
all  of  their  best  trailers  in  search  of  the  scout  called 
Ware  and  his  comrades.  They  are  dangerous,  and 
also  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle  have  bitter  cause 
to  hate  them,  as  have  I." 

''Very  well,  then,"  said  Alloway,  making  the  best  of 
it.  "We'll  halt  while  the  warriors  brush  away  these 
wasps,  whom  you  seem  to  fear  so  much." 

He  walked  away,  followed  by  hi?  men,  and  Henry 

SI 


THE    KEEPERS    OF   THE   TRAIL 

and  Shi f 'less  Sol  dre^v  back  in  the  thicket.  They  were 
flattered  by  Braxton  Wyatt's  frank  admission  of  their 
power,  but  they  were  annoyed  that  the  footprint  had 
been  seen.  Henry  had  felt  that  they  could  work  much 
better,  if  the  warriors  were  unaware  of  their  presence. 

"Those  two  chiefs  will  act  quickly,"  he  whispered  to 
his  comrade.  "Maybe  they  had  already  sent  out  the 
trailers,  before  they  had  the  talk  with  the  officer.  It's 
possible  that  they're  now  between  us  and  our  new  home 
in  the  cliff.  It's  always  best  to  have  a  plan,  and  if  they 
pick  up  our  trail  I'll  run  toward  the  east,  and  draw 
them  off,  while  you  make  your  way  back  to  Paul  and 
Jim  and  our  room  in  the  cliff." 

"You  let  me  make  the  chase,"  said  Shi f 'less  Sol, 
protestingly.    "They  can't  ketch  me." 

"No!  We've  pretty  well  agreed  upon  our  different 
tasks,  and  this,  you  know,  is  mine." 

The  shiftless  one  was  well  aware  that  Henry  was  the 
most  fitting,  yet  he  was  more  than  anxious  to  take  the 
chief  danger  upon  himself.  But  he  said  nothing  more, 
as  they  withdrew  slowly,  and  with  the  utmost  caution, 
through  the  woods.  Twice,  the  red  trailers  passed  near 
them,  and  they  flattened  themselves  against  the  ground 
to  escape  observation.  Plenry  did  not  believe  now  that 
they  could  regain  the  stone  room  without  a  flight  or  a 
fight,  as  he  was  confirmed  in  his  belief  that  Red  Eagle 
and  Yellow  Panther  had  sent  out  numerous  trailers, 
before  their  talk  with  the  English  colonel. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  and  they  were  forced  to 
He  down  in  a  gully  among  sodden  leaves  and  hold  their 
breath  while  two  Shawnees  passed,    Henry  saw  them 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

through  the  screening  bushes  on  the  bank  of  the  gully, 
their  questing  eyes  eager  and  fierce.  At  the  first  trace 
of  a  trail,  they  would  utter  the  war  whoop  and  call  the 
horde  upon  the  fugitives.  But  they  saw  nothing  and 
flitted  away  among  the  bushes. 

**Comin'  purty  close,"  whispered  Shif'less  Sol,  as 
they  rose  and  resumed  their  progress.  *'Warm,  purty 
warm,  mighty  warm,  hot!  The  next  time  they'll  jest 
burn  their  hands  on  us." 

"Maybe  there'll  be  no  next  time,"  said  Henry  as  they 
approached  the  edge  of  a  brook.  But  the  bank,  softened 
by  the  rain,  crumbled  beneath  them,  and  the  "next 
time"  had  come  almost  at  once. 

Although  they  did  not  fall,  their  feet  went  into  the 
stream  with  a  splash  that  could  be  heard  many  yards 
away.  From  three  points  came  fierce  triumphant 
shouts,  and  then  they  heard  the  low  swish  of  mocca- 
sined  feet  running  fast. 

"Remember,"  said  Henry,  rapidly,  "hide  your  trail 
and  curve  about  until  you  reach  the  hidden  home.  Wait 
there  for  me !" 

He  was  gone  in  an  instant,  turning  off  at  a  sharp 
angle  into  the  bushes,  leading  directly  away  from  the 
cliff.  Now  the  young  superman  of  the  forest  sum- 
moned all  his  faculties.  He  called  to  his  service  his 
immense  strength  and  agility,  his  extreme  acuteness  of 
sight  and  hearing,  and  his  almost  supernatural  power 
of  divination,  the  outgrowth  of  a  body  and  mind  so 
perfectly  attuned  for  forest  work. 

No  fear  that  he  would  be  caught  entered  his  mind. 
Alone  in  the  forest  he  could  double  and  turn  as  he 

53 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

chose,  and  there  was  no  Indian  so  fleet  of  foot  that  he 
could  overtake  him.  A  wild  and  exultant  spirit  flowed 
up  in  him.  He  was  the  hunted.  Nevertheless  it  w^as 
sport  to  him  to  be  followed  thus.  He  laughed  low  and 
under  his  breath,  and  then,  swelling  the  cords  in  his 
throat,  he  gave  utterance  to  a  cry  so  tremendous  in 
volume  that  it  rang  like  the  echo  of  a  cannon  shot 
through  the  wilderness.  But,  after  the  Indian  fash- 
ion, he  permitted  it  to  die  in  a  long,  fierce  note  like  the 
w^hine  of  a  wolf. 

It  was  an  extraordinary  cry,  full  of  challenge  and 
mockery.  It  said  to  those  who  should  hear,  that  they 
might  come  on,  if  they  would,  but  they  would  come  on 
a  vain  errand.  It  taunted  them,  and  aroused  every 
kind  of  anger  in  their  breasts.  No  Indian  could  remain 
calm  under  that  cry  and  every  one  of  them  knew  what 
it  meant.  Their  ferocious  shouts  replied,  and  then 
Henry  swung  forward  in  the  long  easy  gait  of  the 
woodsman. 

Mind  and  muscle  were  under  perfect  control.  While 
he  ran  he  saw  everything  in  the  bright  moonlight  and 
heard  everything.  He  made  no  effort  to  conceal  his 
trail,  because  he  wanted  it  to  be  seen  and  he  knew  that 
the  entire  pursuit  was  strung  out  behind  him.  Prob- 
ably Shif'less  Sol  was  already  safe  within  the  stone 
walls. 

Lest  the  trail  itself  should  not  be  enough  he  again 
uttered  the  defiant  cry  that  thrilled  through  the  forest, 
returning  in  many  echoes.  He  listened  for  the  answer- 
ing shouts  of  the  warriors,  and  felt  relieved  when  they 
came.    The  spirit  that  v/as  shooting  through  his  veins 

54 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

became  wilder  and  wilder.  His  blood  danced  and  he 
laughed  once  more  under  his  breath,  as  wild  as  any 
of  the  wild  men  of  the  forest. 

He  was  racing  along  a  low  ridge  from  which  the 
rain  had  run  rapidly,  leaving  fairly  firm  ground.  Once 
more  he  disturbed  the  thickets.  Startled  wild  animals 
sprang  up  as  the  giant  young  figure  sped  past.  A  rabbit 
leaped  from  under  his  raised  foot.  A  huge  owl  looked 
down  with  red,  distended  eyes  at  the  flying  youth,  and, 
in  the  face  of  the  unknown,  using  the  wisdom  that  is 
the  owl's  own,  flew  heavily  away  from  the  forest.  Some 
pigeons,  probably  a  part  of  the  same  flock  that  he 
had  seen,  rose  with  a  whirr  from  a  bough  and 
streamed  off  in  a  black  line  among  the  trees.  The 
undergrowth  was  filled  with  whimperings,  and  little 
rustlings,  and  Henry,  who  felt  so  closely  akin  to  wild 
life,  would  have  told  them  now  if  he  could  that  they 
w^re  in  no  danger.  It  was  he,  not  they,  who  was 
being  pursued. 

He  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  dusky  figure  aiming  a  rifle. 
Quickly  he  bent  low  and  the  bullet  whistled  over  his 
head.  Catching  his  own  rifle  by  the  barrel  he  swung 
the  stock  heavily  and  the  red  trailer  lay  still  in  the 
undergrowth.  A  little  farther  on  a  second  fired  at  him, 
and  now  he  sent  his  own  bullet  in  reply.  The  warrior 
fell  back  with  a  cry  of  pain  to  which  his  pursuing  com- 
rades answered,  and  Henry  for  a  third  time  sent  forth 
his  fierce,  defiant  shout.  Those  whom  he  had  met 
must  have  been  hunters  coming  in. 

He  reloaded  his  rifle,  running,  and  kept  a  wary  eye 
as  he  passed  into  the  canebrake.    But  he  believed  now 

55 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

that  he  had  left  behind  the  outermost  fringe  of  the 
scouts  and  trailers.  He  would  encounter  nobody  lying 
in  ambush,  and,  after  making  his  way  for  a  long  time 
through  the  dense  thickets,  he  sat  down  on  a  little 
mound  to  rest  and  observe. 

He  knew  that  the  nearest  of  the  warriors  was  at  least 
four  or  five  hundred  yards  away,  and  that  none  could 
come  within  rifle  shot  without  his  knowledge.  So,  he 
sat  quite  still,  taking  deep  breaths,  and  was  without 
apprehension.  He  was  not  really  weary,  the  long 
swinging  run  had  not  been  much  more  than  exercise, 
but  he  wanted  to  look  about  and  see  the  nature  of  the 
land. 

The  canebrake  extended  a  great  distance,  but  he  saw 
far  beyond  it  the  black  shadow  of  forest,  in  the  inter- 
minable depths  of  which  he  might  easily  lose  himself 
if  the  pursuit  continued.  Whether  it  continued  or  not 
was  a  matter  of  sheer  indifference  to  him.  He  had 
drawn  them  far  enough,  but  if  they  wished  to  go  farther 
he  would  be  the  hunted  again,  although  it  might  be 
dangerous  for  the  hunters. 

He  saw  the  crests  of  the  cane  waving  a  little,  and, 
rising,  he  resumed  the  race  on  easy  foot,  passing 
through  the  canebrake,  and  entering  the  forest,  in  which 
there  was  much  rough,  rocky  ground.  Here  he  leaped 
lightly  from  stone  to  stone,  until  he  knew  the  trail  was 
broken  beyond  the  possibility  of  finding,  when  he  sat 
down  between  two  great  upthrust  roots  of  an  oak  and 
leaned  back  against  turf  and  trunk  together.  He  knew 
that  the  green  of  his  deerskins  blended  perfectly  with 
the  grass,  and  he  felt  so  thoroughly  convinced  that  the 

56 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

pursuit  had  stopped  that  he  decided  to  remain  there  for 
the  night. 

He  unrolled  the  hlanket  from  his  back,  put  it  about 
his  shoulders,  and  then  he  laughed  again  at  the  suc- 
cessful trick  that  he  had  played  upon  these  fierce  red 
warriors.  It  had  been  an  easy  task,  too.  Save  the  two 
hasty  shots  from  the  trailers  he  had  never  been  in  seri- 
ous danger,  and  now,  as  he  rested  comfortably,  he  ate 
a  little  more  of  the  dried  venison  from  his  knapsack. 
Then  he  fell  asleep. 

The  hours  of  the  night  passed  peacefully.  The  soft 
turf  supported  his  back,  and  only  his  head  was  against 
the  trunk  of  the  tree.  It  was  a  comfortable  position 
for  a  seasoned  forest  runner.  Toward  morning  the 
wind  rose  and  began  to  sing  through  the  spring  foliage. 
Its  song  grew  louder,  and  before  it  was  yet  dawn  Henry 
awoke  and  listened  to  it.  Like  the  Indian  he  heard  the 
voice  of  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  wind,  and  now  it  came 
to  him  with  a  warning  note. 

He  stretched  his  limbs  a  little  and  stood  up,  his  hand 
on  the  hammer  of  his  rifle.  The  darkness  that  precedes 
the  dawn  covered  the  woods,  but  he  could  see  some  dis- 
tance into  it,  and  he  saw  nothing.  He  listened  a  long 
time,  and  as  the  dusk  began  to  thin  aw^ay  before  the  sun 
he  heard  a  low  chant.  He  knew  that  it  was  an  Indian 
song,  a  song  of  triumph,  coming  from  the  south,  and 
for  a  while  he  was  puzzled. 

Clearly,  this  was  no  part  of  the  great  war  band, 
which  lay  to  the  north  of  him,  and  he  concluded  that 
it  must  be  a  small  expedition  which  had  already  gone 
into  the  South  and  which  was  now  returning.    But  he 

57 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL' 

did  not  like  the  character  of  the  song.  It  indicated 
victory  and  he  thrilled  with  horror  and  repulsion.  The 
triumph  must  be  over  people  of  his  own  race. 

The  blood  in  every  vein  grew  hot  with  anger,  and 
the  pulses  in  his  temples  beat  so  hard  that  for  a  while 
it  made  a  little  singing  in  his  head.  The  great  figure 
stiffened  and  a  menacing  look  came  into  his  eyes. 

The  chant  was  fast  growing  louder  and  the  singers 
would  pass  within  a  few  feet  of  his  tree.  He  slipped 
aside,  turning  away  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  and 
crouched  behind  dense  bushes.  The  singers  came  on, 
about  twenty  warriors  in  single  file,  Shawnees  by  their 
paint,  and  the  first  three  brandished  aloft  three  hideous 
trophies.  Henry  had  more  than  suspected,  but  the 
reality  made  him  shudder. 

The  three  scalps  were  obviously  those  of  white  peo- 
ple, and  the  first,  long,  thick,  blonde  and  fine,  was  that 
of  a  woman.  The  warrior  who  waved  it  aloft,  as  he 
chanted,  wore  only  the  breech  cloth,  his  naked  body 
painted  in  many  colors,  and  he  exulted  as  he  displayed 
his  trophy,  so  fine  to  his  savage  heart. 

A  mighty  rage  seized  Henry.  For  a  moment  his 
eyes  were  clouded  by  the  red  mist  that  danced  before 
them.  The  song  of  the  wind  before  the  dawn  had 
aroused  him  to  his  coming  danger,  but  there  was  noth- 
ing to  tell  the  triumphant  savage  that  his  hour  was  at 
hand. 

The  red  mist  cleared  away  from  the  great  youth's 
eyes.  The  blood  lately  so  hot  in  his  veins  became  as 
cold  as  ice,  and  the  pulses  in  his  temples  sank  to  their 
normal  beat.  Mind  and  nerves  were  completely  attuned 

58 


THE    INDIAN    CAMP 

and  he  was  a  perfect  instrument  of  vengeance.  The 
rifle  rose  to  his  shoulder  and  he  looked  down  the  sights 
at  a  tiny  bear  painted  in  blue  directly  over  the  warrior's 
heart.  Then  he  pulled  the  trigger  and  so  deadly  was 
his  aim  that  the  savage  sank  down  without  a  cry,  and 
the  scalp  fell  and  lay  upon  his  own  body,  the  long  hair 
reddening  fast  with  the  blood  that  flowed  from  the 
warrior's  heart. 

Henry  turned  instantly  and  darted  into  the  depths 
of  the  forest,  reloading  as  usual  as  he  ran.  A  single 
backward  glance  had  shown  him  that  the  warriors,  con- 
fused and  puzzled  at  first,  were  standing  in  an  excited 
group,  looking  down  at  their  dead  comrade.  He  knew 
they  would  recover  quickly  and  to  hasten  the  moment 
he  uttered  that  long,  thrilling  cry  of  defiance. 

He  was  willing  for  them  to  pursue,  in  truth  he  was 
anxious  that  they  should.  He  had  marked  the  other 
two  w^arriors  who  waved  the  scalps,  and  he  now  had 
a  cold  and  settled  purpose.  He  intentionally  made 
noise  as  he  ran,  letting  the  boughs  of  bushes  fly  back 
with  a  swish  and  soon  he  heard  the  Indians,  two  or 
three  hundred  yards  away. 

He  knew  that  their  muskets  or  smooth  bores  could 
not  reach  him  at  the  range  and  that  his  rifle  had  over 
them,  an  advantage  of  at  least  fifty  yards.  He  let  them 
come  a  little  nearer,  and,  as  the  country  was  now  more 
open  they  saw  him  and  uttered  cries  of  mingled  rage 
and  triumph.  They  were  gaining  perceptibly  and  they 
felt  certain  of  capture. 

The  fugitive  permitted  them  to  come  a  little  nearer, 
and  he  watched  them  out  of  the  corner  of  one  eye.    The 

59 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

second  man  in  the  pursuing  group,  a  tall  thin  warrior, 
had  been  waving  a  scalp.  Even  now  it  was  swinging 
at  his  belt,  and  as  they  gained,  yard  by  yard,  Henry 
wheeled  for  a  second  or  two  and  shot  the  scalp-bearer 
through  the  head. 

Then  he  increased  his  speed,  reloaded  his  rifle  once 
more,  and  sent  back  that  taunting  cry  which  he  knew 
inflamed  the  savage  heart  with  ferocity  and  the  desire 
for  vengeance.  The  Indians  had  hesitated,  but  now 
they  uttered  the  war  whoop  all  together,  and  came  on 
at  their  utmost  speed.  Henry  noted  the  third  scalp- 
bearer.  He  was  a  short,  powerful  fellow,  but  he  did 
not  have  speed  enough  to  keep  himself  in  front.  But 
Henry  was  resolved  that  he  too  should  suffer. 

They  were  running  now  through  forest  compara- 
tively free  from  undergrowth.  The  fugitive  stumbled 
suddenly  and  then  limped  for  a  step  oi  two.  The  simul- 
taneous yell  of  the  Indians  was  fierce  and  exultant,  but 
the  rifle  of  the  great  youth  flashed,  and  the  short,  broad 
warrior  was  gone  to  join  his  two  comrades. 

Then  the  speed  of  the  fugitive  increased  at  a  great 
rate,  and,  as  the  warriors  were  no  longer  anxious  to 
pursue,  he  soon  disappeared  in  the  forest. 


CHAPTER   IV 


THE  DEED  IN  THE  WATER 


HENRY'S  pace  sank  into  a  long  walk,  but  he  did 
not  stop  for  two  hours.  Then  he  drank  at  one 
of  the  innumerable  brooks  and  lay  down  in 
the  forest.  His  adventure  with  the  returning  war 
party  made  him  think  much.  It  was  likely  that  other 
small  bands  had  gone  on  the  great  adventure  in  the 
south.  The  young  warriors,  in  particular,  were  likely 
to  take  to  the  scalp  trail.  It  furnished  them  with  ex- 
citement and  at  the  same  time  destroyed  the  intruders 
upon  their  great  hunting  grounds. 

He  was  tempted  to  rejoin  his  comrades  and  go  south 
at  once  with  a  warning,  but  second  thought  told  him 
that  the  chief  danger  lay  in  the  great  war  band  under 
Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle.  He  would  adhere  to 
his  original  plan  and  seek  to  destroy  the  cannon. 

He  resolved  to  return  at  night,  and  since  he  had 
plenty  of  time  he  shot  a  small  deer,  taking  all  chances, 
and  cooked  tender  steaks  over  a  fire  that  he  lit  with 
his  flint  and  steel.  It  refreshed  him  greatly,  and  put- 
ting other  choice  portions  in  his  knapsack  he  started 
back  on  a  wide  curve,  leaving  die  smoldering  coals  to 

6i 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

arouse  the  curiosity  of  any  one  who  might  see  them. 

It  was  now  the  second  day  after  the  great  storm,  and 
earth  and  the  forest  had  dried  completely.  Henry, 
stepping  lightly  on  the  firm  earth,  and  always  using 
every  stone  or  log  or  brook  to  hide  any  possible  trace, 
had  little  fear  of  leaving  a  trail  that  even  the  keenest 
Indian  could  follow.  But  he  picked  up  several  trails 
himself.  One  was  that  of  a  small  party  coming  from 
the  east,  and  he  thought  they  might  be  Wyandots  bound 
for  the  great  camp.  Another  had  the  imprints  of  two 
pairs  of  boots,  mingled  with  the  light  traces  of  moc- 
casins, and  he  knew  that  they  were  made  by  English 
soldiers,  doubtless  gunners,  coming  also  with  their 
Indian  comrades  to  join  the  great  camp. 

Nothing  escaped  his  notice.  He  knew  that  not  far 
to  the  eastward  ran  one  of  the  great  rivers  that  emptied 
into  the  Ohio,  flowing  northward,  and  he  began  to 
wonder  why  the  band  did  not  use  it  for  the  transport  of 
the  cannon,  at  least  part  of  the  way.  Indians  were  usu- 
ally well  provided  with  canoes,  and  by  lashing  some  of 
the  stoutest  together  they  could  make  a  support  strong 
enough  for  the  twelve  pounders.  It  was  an  idea  worth 
considering,  and  he  and  his  comrades  would  watch  the 
stream.  Then  it  occurred  to  him  that  he  might  go  there 
now,  and  see  if  any  movement  in  that  direction  had 
been  begun  by  the  warriors.  The  other  four  undoubt- 
edly would  remain  in  their  little  stone  fortress,  until  he 
returned,  or  even  if  they  should  venture  forth  they 
knew  all  the  ways  of  the  forest,  and  could  take  care 
of  themselves. 

To  think  of  it  was  to  act  at  once,  and  he  began  a 

63 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

great  curve  toward  the  east,  slackening  speed  and  await- 
ing the  night,  under  cover  of  which  he  could  work  to 
far  better  effect  and  with  much  greater  safety. 

Toward  sunset  he  came  upon  a  trail  made  by  mocca- 
sins and  two  pairs  of  boots,  and  he  surmised  that  it  was 
Alloway  and  one  of  his  young  officers  who  had  passed 
that  way  with  the  Indians.  As  they  w'ere  going  toward 
the  river  it  confirmed  him  in  his  conjecture  that  they 
intended  to  use  it,  at  least  in  part,  for  their  advance 
into  Kentucky. 

There  had  been  no  effort  to  hide  the  trail.  What 
need  had  they  to  do  so?  Even  with  the  belief  that  the 
five  were  in  the  vicinity  they  were  in  too  large  numbers 
to  fear  attack,  and  Henry,  following  in  their  footsteps, 
read  all  their  actions  plainly. 

They  were  not  walking  very  fast.  The  shortness 
between  one  footprint  and  the  next  proved  it,  and  their 
slowness  was  almost  a  sure  indication  that  the  party 
included  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle,  or  at  least  one 
of  them.  They  did  not  go  faster,  because  they  were 
talking,  and  Alloway  would  have  discussed  measures 
only  with  the  chiefs. 

At  one  point  four  pairs  of  footsteps  turned  aside  a 
little,  and  stopped  in  front  of  a  large  fallen  log.  Tw^o 
of  the  traces  were  made  by  moccasins  and  two  by  boots. 
So,  the  two  pairs  of  moccasins  indicated  that  both  chiefs 
were  present.  The  four  had  sat  on  the  log  and  talked 
some  time.  In  the  crevices  of  the  bank  he  found  traces 
of  thin  ash.  The  British  officer  therefore  had  lighted 
his  pipe  and  smoked  there,  further  proof  that  it  had 
been  a  conference  of  length. 

63 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

The  warriors  had  remained  in  a  group  on  the  right, 
thirty  or  forty  yards  away,  and  several  of  them  had 
lain  down,  the  crushed  grass  showing  faint  traces  of 
their  figures.  Two  small  bones  of  the  deer,  recently 
covered  with  cooked  flesh,  indicated  that  several  of 
them  had  used  the  opportunity  to  eat  their  supper. 

Unquestionably  the  movement  intended  by  the  white 
leader  and  the  red  chiefs  was  important,  or  they  would 
not  stop  to  talk  about  it  so  long.  Hence  it  must  mean 
the  transportation  of  the  cannon  by  water.  He  could 
not  think  of  anything  else  that  would  divert  them  from 
the  main  route. 

About  two  miles  farther  on  another  trail  joined  the 
one  that  he  was  following.  It  was  made  wholly  by 
moccasins,  but  it  was  easy  enough  for  him  to  discern 
among  them  two  pairs,  the  toes  of  which  turned  out- 
w^ard.  These  moccasins,  of  course,  were  worn  by 
Blackstaffe  and  Wyatt,  who,  whatever  the  British 
colonel  may  have  thought  of  them,  were  nevertheless 
of  the  greatest  importance,  as  intermediaries  between 
him  and  the  Indian  chiefs. 

A  few  yards  beyond  the  junction  they  had  stopped 
and  talked  a  little,  but  they  had  not  sat  down.  Never- 
theless they  had  consulted  earnestly  as  the  footsteps 
were  in  an  irregular  group,  showing  that  they  had 
moved  about  nervously  as  they  talked.  Then  they 
walked  on,  but  the  moccasins  moved  forward  in  a  much 
straighter  and  more  precise  manner  than  the  boots, 
which  were  now  veering  a  little  from  side  to  side.  The 
two  British  officers,  not  trained  to  it  like  the  others, 
were  growing  weary  from  the  long  walk  through  the 

64 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

woods.  But  they  persevered.  Althoiigli  they  sagged 
more  the  trail  led  on,  and,  after  a  while,  Henry  saw  a 
light,  which  he  knew  to  be  a  campfire,  and  whicli  he 
surmised  was  on  the  bank  of  the  river. 

The  night  was  fairly  dark  and  under  cover  of  bushes 
he  approached  until  he  could  see.  Then  all  his  sur- 
mises were  confirmed.  The  campfire  was  large  and 
around  it  sat  AUoway,  the  younger  officer,  Red  Eagle 
and  Yellow  Panther,  and  at  a  little  distance  about 
twenty  warriors.  The  tw^o  Englishmen  seemed  utterly 
exhausted,  while  the  others  showed  no  signs  of  weari- 
ness. 

*T  admit,  Wyatt,  that  walking  seven  or  eight  miles 
through  the  primeval  wilderness  is  no  light  task,"  said 
Alloway,  w^iping  his  red,  perspiring  face. 

His  tone  was  not  haughty  and  patronizing.  He  felt 
just  then,  in  this  particular  work,  that  he  was  not  the 
equal  of  the  renegades  and  the  warriors.  Henry  saw^  a 
faint  ironic  smile  upon  the  face  of  each  of  the  rene- 
gades, and  he  understood  and  appreciated  their  little 
triumph. 

"You  would  do  better.  Colonel,"  said  Blackstaffe 
suavely,  "to  w^ear  moccasins  in  place  of  those  heavy 
boots.  They  carry  you  over  the  ground  much  more 
lightly,  and  we  have  to  follow  the  ways  of  the  wilder- 
ness." 

The  irritable  red  of  Alloway's  face  turned  to  a  deeper 
tint,  but  he  controlled  himself. 

"Doubtless  you  are  right,  Blackstaffe,"  he  said,  "but 
we  are  here  at  last." 

Wyatt  had  been  speaking  in  a  low  tone  to  the  chiefs, 

65 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  it  inflamed  a  choleric  man  like  Alloway  to  hear 
anyone  saying  words  that  he  could  not  understand. 
He  was  not  able  to  restrain  himself  wholly  a  second 
time. 

"What  is  it,  man  ?  What  is  it  that  you're  saying  to 
the  chiefs?"  he  exclaimed. 

"I  was  merely  telling  them/'  replied  Wyatt,  "that 
you  and  your  aide,  Lieutenant  Cartwright,  had  been 
made  weary  by  the  long  walk  through  the  woods,  and 
that  we'd  better  let  you  rest  a  little  before  going  down 
to  inspect  the  canoes." 

A  blaze  of  anger  appeared  in  Alio  way's  eyes,  but  the 
younger  officer  who  had  been  watching  his  chief  with 
some  apprehension,  said  deferentially  : 

"Suppose,  sir,  that  we  do  as  they  suggest.  Cam- 
paigning in  this  wilderness  is  not  like  fighting  on  the 
open  fields  of  Europe." 

They  all  sat  down  about  the  fire,  and  venison,  jerked 
buffalo  meat  and  roasted  grain  were  served  to  them. 
The  two  chiefs  were  silent,  and,  holding  themselves 
with  dignity,  were  impressive.  Presently  one  of  them 
took  from  under  his  deerskin  tunic  a  pipe,  with  a  long 
stem,  and  a  bowl,  carved  beautifully.  He  crowded 
some  tobacco  into  it,  put  a  live  coal  on  top  and  took 
two  or  three  long  puffs.  Then  he  passed  it  to  the  other 
chief  who  after  doing  the  same  handed  it  to  Colonel 
Alloway. 

The  officer  hesitated,  not  seeming  to  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  pipe  at  that  particular  time,  and  Wyatt 
said,  maliciously: 

"The  pipe  of  peace,  sir!" 

66 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

"Why  should  we  smoke  a  pipe  of  peace  when  we're 
already  allies?" 

*'A  little  feeling  has  been  shown  on  our  march 
through  the  woods  to  the  river.  Indians,  sir,  are  very 
sensitive.  These  two  chiefs,  Yellow  Panther  and  Red 
Eagle,  are  the  heads  of  powerful  tribes,  and  if  their 
feelings  are  hurt  in  any  manner  they  will  resent  it, 
even  to  the  point  of  withdrawing  all  their  warriors  and 
returning  north  of  the  Ohio.  I  suggest,  sir,  that  you 
smoke  the  pipe  at  once,  and  return  it  to  them." 

Colonel  AUoway  did  so,  Cartwright  took  it  readily, 
after  them  the  two  renegades  smoked,  and  thus  it  was 
passed  around  the  circle.  It  came  back  to  Red  Eagle, 
who  knocked  the  coals  out  of  the  pipe  and  then 
gravely  returned  it  to  its  resting  place. 

Henry  had  watched  it  all  with  eager  attention,  and 
when  the  little  ceremony  was  finished  he  made  another 
short  circle  through  the  bushes  that  brought  him  close 
to  the  river,  where  he  saw  about  twenty  canoes  and 
two  boats  much  larger,  built  stoutly  and  apparently  able 
to  sustain  a  great  weight.  He  knew  at  once  that  they 
were  intended  for  the  cannon  and  that  they  had  been 
brought  down  the  Ohio  and  then  up  the  tributary 
stream.  Both  had  oars  and  he  surmised  that  the  w^hite 
gun  crews  would  use  them,  since  the  Indians  were 
familiar  only  with  the  paddle.  These  boats,  scows  he 
would  have  called  them,  were  tied  to  the  bank  and  were 
empty.  Some  of  the  canoes  were  empty  also,  but  in 
seven  or  eight,  Indian  Avarriors  were  lying  asleep. 

He  was  quite  certain  that  the  cannon  would  be 
brought  up  the  next  day,  and  be  loaded  on  the  scows, 

67 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  he  wished  now  for  the  presence  of  his  comrades. 
The  five  together  might  accompHsh  something  real 
before  the  dawn,  and  then  he  resolved  that  since  he  was 
alone  he  would  attempt  it  alone.  He  w^ithdrew  to  a 
considerable  distance,  and  lay  down  in  the  bushes,  very 
close. 

It  was  hard  to  think  of  a  plan  that  seemed  feasible, 
and  he  concentrated  his  mind  upon  it  until  his  brain 
began  to  feel  inflamed,  as  if  with  a  fever.  But  the  idea 
came  at  last.  It  was  full  of  danger,  and  it  called  for 
almost  supernatural  skill,  but  he  believed  that  he  could 
do  it.  Then  the  fever  w^ent  out  of  his  brain  and  the 
tension  of  his  nerves  relaxed.  He  felt  himself  imbued 
with  new  strength  and  courage,  and  his  soul  rose  to  its 
task. 

He  saw  the  two  officers,  the  renegades  and  the  chiefs 
come  down  to  the  edge  of  the  river,  and  talk  with  the 
warriors  there.  No  very  strict  watch  was  kept,  be- 
cause none  seemed  to  be  needed.  Then  blankets  were 
spread  for  them  under  the  trees,  and  they  went  to  sleep. 
Most  of  the  warriors  followed  their  example,  and  not 
more  than  three  or  four  sentinels  were  left  on  watch. 
These  three  or  four,  however,  w^ould  have  eyes  to  see 
in  the  darkness  and  ears  to  hear  when  a  leaf  fell. 

But  Henry  did  not  sleep.  He  was  never  more  wide- 
awake. He  made  his  way  carefully  through  the  bushes 
farther  up  the  stream  to  a  point  where  he  noticed  the 
last  canoe  lying  empty  near  the  shore,  almost  hidden 
in  the  shadows  cast  on  the  water  by  the  overhanging 
boughs. 

He  came  to  a  point  parallel  with  it  and  not  more 

68 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

than  ten  feet  away,  and  critically  examining  the  river 
saw  that  the  water  was  quite  deep  there,  which  suited 
his  purpose.  The  light  craft  was  held  merely  by  a 
slender  piece  of  bark  rope.  Then  he  began  the  most 
perilous  part  of  his  task.  He  returned  toward  the 
sleeping  officers  and  chiefs,  and,  lying  flat  upon  the 
ground  in  the  deep  grass  and  heavy  shadows,  began 
slowly  to  worm  himself  forward.  It  was  a  thing  that 
no  one  could  have  accomplished  without  great  natural 
aptitude,  long  training  and  infinite  patience.  He  knew 
that  risk  of  detection  existed,  but  he  calculated  that,  if 
seen,  he  might  be  up  and  away  before  any  one  of  his 
enemies  could  find  time  for  a  good  shot. 

The  Englishmen  in  particular  were  the  mark  at 
which  he  aimed.  He  had  noticed  that  the  younger  one 
carried  a  large  horn  of  powder  and  he  was  likely  to 
be  careless  about  it,  a  belief  that  was  verified  as  he 
drew  near.  The  Englishman  had  taken  off  his  belt, 
bullet  pouch  and  powder  horn,  all  of  which  now  lay  on 
the  ground  near  him. 

A  long  arm  was  suddenly  thrust  from  the  grass  and 
a  hand  closing  on  the  powder  horn  took  it  away. 
Henry  felt  that  it  was  well  filled  and  heavy  and  he 
glowed  with  triumph.  The  first  link  in  his  chain  had 
been  forged.  He  crept  back  into  the  bushes,  and 
stopped  there  twice,  lying  very  still.  He  saw  the  In- 
dian sentinels  moving  about  a  little,  but  evidently  they 
suspected  nothing.  They  were  merely  changing  posi- 
tions and  quickly  relapsed  into  silence  and  stillness. 

It  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  Henry  was  back  at 
his  place  opposite  the  swinging  little  canoe.     Then  he 

69 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

shook  the  powder  horn  triumphantly,  put  it  down  at 
the  foot  of  a  tree  and  covered  it  up  with  some  leaves. 
As  he  did  so  he  noticed  that  many  of  last  year's  leaves 
were  quite  dry  and  he  remembered  it. 

Then  he  went  back  to  forge  the  second  link,  which 
was  not  so  difficult.  The  fire  around  which  the  white 
men  and  the  chiefs  had  eaten  their  supper  was  a  little 
distance  back  of  the  present  cam^p,  where  he  was  quite 
sure  that  it  was  still  smoldering,  although  deserted. 
He  found  a  stick  the  end  of  which  was  yet  a  live  coal, 
and  circling  a  little  wider  on  his  return  he  came  back 
to  the  powder  horn. 

Henry  held  the  live  point  of  the  stick  close  to  the 
ground  where  it  could  not  cast  a  glow  that  the  sentinels 
might  see,  and  then  waited  a  minute  or  so  before  taking 
any  further  action.  Two  links  of  the  chain  had  been 
forged  and  he  felt  now  that  he  would  carry  it  to  its 
full  length  and  success.  He  had  never  been  more 
skillful,  never  more  in  command  of  all  his  faculties, 
and  they  had  never  worked  in  more  perfect  coordina- 
tion. There  had  never  been  a  more  perfect  type  of  the 
human  physical  machine.  Nature,  in  one  of  her  happy 
moods,  had  lavished  upon  him  all  her  gifts  and  now 
he  was  using  them  to  the  utmost,  turning  his  ten 
talents  into  twenty. 

The  third  link  would  be  one  of  great  difficulty,  much 
harder  than  the  bringing  of  the  fire,  and  that  was  the 
reason  why  he  was  considering  so  well.  He  could 
discern  the  figures  of  three  of  the  sentinels  on  land. 
Tw^o  of  them  were  brawny  warriors  naked  to  the  waist, 
and   painted   heavily.     The   third   was   quite  young, 

70 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

younger  than  himself,  a  mere  boy,  perhaps  on  his  first 
war  path.  Henry  understood  the  feeHngs  of  hope  and 
ambition  that  probabl}^  animated  the  Indian  boy  and 
he  trusted  that  they  would  not  come  into  conflict. 

The  sentinels  were  walking  about,  and  when  the  one 
nearest  him  turned  and  moved  away  he  gathered  up 
quickly  fallen  brushwood  which  lay  kiln-dry  at  the 
river's  brink.  Then  he  hid  his  rifle,  other  weapons 
and  ammunition  in  the  grass.  For  a  brief  space  he 
must  go  unarmed,  because  he  could  not  be  cumbered 
in  an  effort  to  keep  them  dry. 

Carrying  the  powder  horn,  the  dry  sticks  and  the 
one  lighted  at  the  end,  he  dropped  silently  into  the 
water  and  managed  with  one  arm  to  sw^im  the  few-  feet 
that  separated  him  from  the  canoe.  Then  he  passed 
around  it,  putting  it  between  him  and  the  land,  and 
carefully  lifted  everything  inside.  He  knew  that  the 
dry  wood  would  burn  fast  when  he  placed  the  torch 
against  it,  and  he  put  the  horn  full  of  powder  very 
near. 

Then  he  sank  low^  in  the  w^ater  behind  the  canoe, 
and  listened  until  he  heard  the  faint  sputter  of  the  fire 
in  the  dry  wood.  Now  new  difficulties  arose.  He  must 
time  everything  exactly,  and  for  the  sake  of  his  enter- 
prise and  his  own  life  he  must  keep  the  Indian  alarm 
from  coming  too  soon. 

The  sputtering  was  not  yet  loud  enough  for  the 
w^arriors  on  the  bank  to  hear  it,  and  he  ventured  to  rise 
high  enough  for  another  look  over  the  edge  of  the 
canoe.  In  tw^o  minutes,  he  calculated,  the  fire  would 
reach  the  powder  horn.    Then  he  drew  from  his  belt 

71 


THE    KEEPERS    OF   THE   TRAIi: 

his  hunting  knife,  the  only  weapon  that  he  had  not 
discarded,  and  cut  the  withe  that  held  the  canoe. 

Burying  himself  in  the  water  to  the  nose  he  sent 
his  fire  ship  down  the  stream  toward  the  two  scows 
intending  for  it  to  enter  just  between  them.  Now  he 
needed  all  his  skill  and  complete  command  over  his 
will.  The  sputtering  of  the  fire  increased,  and  he  knew 
that  it  was  rapidly  approaching  the  horn  of  powder. 
The  flesh  had  an  almost  irresistible  desire  to  draw 
away  at  once  and  swim  for  life,  but  an  immense  reso- 
lution held  his  body  to  its  yet  uncompleted  task. 

The  canoe  was  moving  with  such  a  slight  ripple 
that  not  an  Indian  sentinel  had  yet  heard,  but  when  it 
was  within  ten  yards  of  its  destination  one  happened 
to  look  over  the  river  and  see  it  moving.  There  would 
have  been  nothing  curious  in  a  canoe  breaking  its 
slender  thong  and  floating  with  the  current,  but  this 
one  was  floating  against  it.  The  Indian  uttered  a 
surprised  exclamation  and  instantly  called  the  attention 
of  his  comrades. 

Henry  knew  that  the  supreme  moment  was  at  hand. 
The  Indian  warning  had  come,  and  the  sputtering  told 
him  that  the  fire  was  almost  at  the  powder  horn. 
Giving  his  fire  ship  a  mighty  shove  he  sent  it  directly 
between  the  scows  and  then  he  made  a  great  dive  down 
and  away.  He  swam  under  water  as  long  as  he  could, 
and  just  as  he  was  coming  to  the  surface  he  heard  and 
saw  the  explosion. 

The  two  scows  and  the  canoe  seemed  to  leap  into  the 
air  in  the  center  of  a  volcano  of  light,  and  then  all 
three  came  down  in  a  rain  of  hissing  and  steaming 

72 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

fragments.  The  crash  was  stunning,  and  the  hght  for 
a  moment  or  two  was  intense.  Then  it  sank  ahiiost 
as  suddenly  and  again  came  the  darkness,  in  which 
Henry  heard  the  steaming  of  burning  wood,  the  tur- 
moil of  riven  waters  and  the  shouts  of  warriors  filled 
with  surprise  and  alarm. 

It  was  easy  in  all  the  confusion  for  him  to  reach 
the  bank,  recover  his  arms  and  speed  into  the  forest. 
He  had  forged  with  complete  success  every  link  in  his 
chain  of  destruction.  The  scows  intended  for  the 
transportation  of  the  cannon  were  blown  to  splinters, 
and  while  they  might  lash  enough  canoes  together  to 
sustain  their  weight,  they  must  move  slowly  and  at 
much  risk. 

Although  he  was  dripping  with  water,  Henry  was 
supremely  happy.  When  he  undertook  this  feat  he  had 
believed  that  he  would  succeed,  but  looking  back  at  it 
now  it  seemed  almost  incredible.  But  here  he  was, 
and  the  deed  was  done.  He  laughed  to  himself  in  silent 
pleasure.  Wyatt,  Blackstaffe  and  the  others  would 
undoubtedly  trace  it  to  him  and  his  comrades,  and  he 
hoped  they  would.  He  was  willing  for  them  to  know 
that  the  five  were  not  only  on  watch  but  could  act  with 
terrific  effect. 

A  half-mile  away  from  the  river  and  he  heard  a  long 
fierce  yell,  uttered  by  many  voices  in  unison.  He  knew 
they  had  picked  up  at  the  edge  of  the  stream  the  tale 
that  he  had  not  sought  to  hide,  and  were  hoping  now 
for  revenge  upon  the  one  who  had  cost  them  so  much. 
But  he  laughed  once  more  back  of  his  teeth.  In  the 
darkness  they  might  as  well  try  to  follow  a  bird  of 

73 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

the  air.  He  curved  away,  reached  one  of  the  numerous 
brooks  intersecting  the  stream,  and  ran  for  a  long  time 
in  its  bed.  Then  he  emerged,  passed  hito  a  dense  cane- 
brake  and  stopped,  where  he  took  off  his  wet  clothing 
and  spread  it  out  in  the  dark  to  dry.  The  blanket 
which  he  had  left  on  the  bank  with  his  arms  was 
warm  and  dry  and  he  wrapped  it  around  his  body. 
Then  he  lay  down  with  his  weapons  by  his  side. 

The  satisfied  blood  ran  sw^iftly  and  proudly  in  the 
veins  of  the  great  forest  runner.  He  had  done  other 
deeds  as  bold,  but  perhaps  none  as  delicate  as  this. 
It  had  demanded  a  complete  combination  of  courage 
and  dexterity  and  perfect  timing.  A  second  more  or 
less  might  have  ruined  everything.  He  could  imagine 
the  chagrin  of  the  choleric  colonel.  Unless  Wyatt 
and  Blackstaffe  restrained  him  he  might  break  forth 
into  complaints  and  abuse  and  charge  the  Indians  with 
negligence,  a  charge  that  the  haughty  chiefs  would 
repudiate  at  once  and  with  anger.  Then  a  break  might 
follow. 

Whether  the  break  came  or  not  he  had  insured 
a  delay,  and  since  the  cannon  could  not  yet  be  put  upon 
the  river  he  might  find  a  way  to  get  at  them.  He 
rolled  on  one  side,  made  himself  comfortable  on  the 
dead  leaves  and  then  heard  the  wind  blowing  a  song  of 
triumph  through  the  cane.  He  fell  asleep  to  the 
musical  note,  but  awoke  at  dawn. 

His  clothing  w^as  dry,  and,  unwrapping  himself 
from  the  tight  folds  of  the  blanket,  he  dressed.  Then, 
stretching  his  muscles  a  little,  to  remove  all  stiffness  or 
soreness  he  emerged  from  the  cane  brake.    After  exam- 

74 


"The  crash  was  stunning,  and  the  hght  for  a  moment  or  two  was 

intense" 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

ining  a  circle  of  the  forest  with  both  eye  and  ear  to  see 
that  no  warrior  was  near,  he  cHmbed  a  tree  and  looked 
over  a  sea  of  forest. 

To  the  north  where  the  great  camp  lay  he  saw 
spires  of  smoke  rising,  and  to  the  east,  where  a  de- 
tachment guarded  the  boats  in  the  river,  another 
column  of  smoke  floated  off  into  the  blue  dawn.  So 
he  inferred  that  they  were  3^et  uncertain  about  their 
campaign  and  that  their  forces  would  remain  stationary 
for  a  little  while.  But  he  was  sure  that  warriors  were 
ranging  the  forest  in  search  of  him.  Red  Eagle  and 
Yellow  Panther  would  not  let  such  an  insult  and  loss 
pass  without  many  attempts  at  revenge. 

He  descended  and  ate  the  last  of  his  venison.  He 
would  have  returned  at  once  to  his  comrades,  but  he 
believed  that  many  warriors  were  in  between  and  he 
did  not  wish  to  draw  danger  either  upon  them  or  him- 
self. He  began  another  of  his  great  curves  and  it 
took  him  away  from  the  refuge  in  the  cliff,  coming 
back  in  two  or  three  hours  to  the  stream  that  bore  the 
little  Indian  fleet.  His  triumph  of  the  night  before 
increased  his  boldness,  and  he  resolved  to  return  the 
following  night  and  annoy  further  the  detachment  by 
the  river.  It  would  serve  his  cause,  and  it  would  be  a 
pleasure  to  vex  the  dogmatic  European  colonel. 

Weather  was  a  great  factor  in  the  operation  he  was 
carrying  on,  and  the  coming  night,  fortunately  for  his 
purpose,  promised  to  be  dark.  Spring  is  fickle  in  the 
valley  of  the  Ohio,  and  toward  evening  clouds  gath- 
ered, although  there  was  not  a  sufficient  closeness  of 
the  air  to  indicate  rain.    But  the  moon  was  feeble  and 

75 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

by  and  by  went  away  altogether.  Then  the  stars  fol- 
lowed, leaving  only  a  black  sky  which  hid  Henry  well, 
but  which  did  not  hide  the  smaller  camp  by  the  river 
from  him. 

Watchers  had  been  spread  out  in  a  wider  circle,  but 
he  had  no  difficulty  in  approaching  the  fire,  built  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  around  which  sat  the  two  chiefs, 
the  renegades  and  the  British  officers.  Henry  saw  that 
the  faces  of  all  of  them  expressed  deep  discontent,  and 
he  enjoyed  the  joke,  because  joke  it  was  to  him.  He 
understood  the  depths  of  their  chagrin. 

"We'll  have  to  carry  the  cannon  on  the  canoes,  and 
maybe  they'll  fall  into  the  river,"  said  Alio  way  quer- 
ulously. "How  in  thunder  the  blowing  up  of  those 
scows  was  managed  I  don't  understand !" 

"Several  of  the  warriors  saw  a  canoe  floating  down, 
sir,  just  before  the  explosion,"  said  Cartwright,  "and 
it  must  have  been  no  illusion,  as  a  canoe  is  gone." 

Cartwright  had  missed  his  horn  of  powder  after  the 
excitement  from  the  explosion  was  over,  but  he  sup- 
posed some  Indian  had  used  the  opportunity  to  steal 
it,  and  he  said  nothing  about  his  loss  from  fear  of 
creating  a  breach. 

"In  my  opinion,  sir,"  said  Braxton  Wyatt,  smoothly 
but  with  just  a  trace  of  irony,  "it  was  done  by  Ware 
and  his  comrades." 

"Impossible!  Impossible!"  said  Alloway,  testily. 
"The  careless  Indians  left  powder  in  the  scows  and 
in  some  manner  equally  careless  it's  been  exploded. 
The  tale  of  the  canoe  that  floated  upstream  of  its  own 
accord  was  an  invention  to  cover  up  their  neglect." 

76 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

''Do  you  wish  us  to  translate  for  you  and  to  state 
that  opinion  to  the  chiefs?"  asked  Blackstaffe. 

Alloway  gave  him  an  angry  glance,  but  he  had  pru- 
dence enough  to  say : 

*'No,  of  course  not.  After  all,  there  may  have  been 
a  canoe.  But  whatever  it  was  it  was  most  unfortunate. 
It  delays  us  greatly,  and  it  preys  upon  the  superstitions 
of  the  warriors." 

"They  are  very  susceptible,  sir,  to  such  things,"  said 
Wyatt.  ''They  dread  the  unknown,  and  this  event  has 
affected  them  unpleasantly.  But  I'm  quite  sure  it  was 
done  by  Ware,  although  I  don't  know  how." 

"Ware!  Ware!"  exclaimed  Allow^ay,  impatiently. 
"Why  should  a  force  like  ours  dread  a  single  person?" 

"Because,  sir,  he  does  things  that  are  to  be  dreaded." 

Yellow  Panther,  w^ho  had  been  sitting  in  silence,  his 
arms  folded  across  his  great  bare  chest,  arose  and 
raised  his  hand.  Braxton  Wyatt  turned  toward  him 
respectfully  and  then  said  to  Colonel  Alloway : 

"The  head  chief  of  the  Miamiis  wishes  to  speak,  sir, 
and  if  you  will  pardon  me  for  saying  so,  it  will  be  wise 
for  us  to  listen." 

"Very  w^ell,"  said  Alloway.    "Tell  us  what  he  says." 

Thus  spoke  Yellow^  Panther,  head  chief  of  the 
IMiamis,  veteran  of  many  wars,  through  the  medium 
of  Braxton  Wyatt: 

"We  and  our  brethren,  the  Shawnees,  have  come 
with  many  warriors  upon  a  long  war  path.  Our 
friends,  the  white  men  w^hom  the  mighty  King  George 
has  sent  across  the  seas  to  help  us,  have  brought  with 
them  the  great  cannon  which  will  batter  down  the  forts 

17 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

of  the  Long  Knives  in  Kaintuckee.  But  the  signs  are 
bad.  The  boats  which  were  to  carry  the  cannon  on  the 
river  have  been  blown  up.  An  enemy  stands  across 
our  path  and  before  we  go  farther  we  must  hunt  him 
down.  If  we  cannot  do  it  then  Manitou  has  turned  his 
face  away  from  us." 

Wyatt  translated  and  Alloway  sourly  gave  adhesion. 
It  was  hard  for  him  to  think  that  a  single  little  group 
of  borderers  could  hold  up  a  great  force  like  theirs, 
armed  with  cannon  too.  But  he  was  acute  enough  to 
see  that  the  menace  of  a  rupture  w^ould  become  a  reality 
if  he  insisted  upon  having  his  own  way. 

Henry  had  watched  them  while  they  talked,  and 
then  he  turned  aside  to  a  point  nearer  the  river's  brink, 
from  which  he  could  see  two  pairs  of  their  strongest 
canoes  lashed  together  in  the  stream,  ready  for  the 
reception  of  the  cannon  when  they  should  come.  How 
w^as  he  to  get  at  them?  He  knew  that  he  could  not 
use  a  fire  boat  again,  but  these  rafts,  for  such  they  were, 
must  be  destroyed  in  some  manner. 

Lying  deep  in  the  thickets  he  considered  his  problem. 
One  of  the  reasons  why  he  excelled  nearly  all  the  scouts 
of  the  border  was  because  he  thought  so  much  harder 
and  longer,  and  now  he  concentrated  all  his  faculties 
for  success. 

It  did  not  take  him  long  to  mature  his  plan,  and 
when  he  had  done  so  he  moved  down  the  stream, 
where  the  chance  of  an  Indian  sentinel  discovering  him 
was  much  smaller.  There  he  waited  a  space,  while  the 
night  darkened  still  more,  the  moon  and  stars  being 
sliut  out  entirely.    A  wind  arose  and  little  crumbling 

78 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

waves  pursued  one  another  on  the  surface  of  the  river, 
which  was  flooded  and  yellow  from  spring  rains. 

He  saw  only  one  or  two  sentinels  and  they  showed 
but  dimly.  Farther  down  the  Englishmen,  the  chiefs 
and  the  renegades  were  sitting  about  the  low  fire,  and 
he  felt  sure  that  the  white  men,  at  least,  would  sleep 
there  by  the  coals.  From  his  covert  in  the  bushes  he 
saw  them  presently  spreading  their  blankets,  and  then 
they  lay  down  with  their  feet  to  the  smoldering  fire. 
The  chiefs  soon  followed  them  and  elsewhere  the 
warriors  also  rolled  themselves  in  their  blankets.  They 
seemed  to  think  that  he  would  not  come  back,  reason- 
ing like  the  white  men  that  the  lightning  would  not 
strike  in  the  same  place  twice. 

So  he  waited  long  and  patiently.  This  quality  of 
patience  was  one  in  which  the  Caucasian  was  usually 
inferior  to  the  Indian,  but  in  the  incessant  struggle  on 
the  border  it  was  always  needed.  Henry,  through  the 
power  of  his  will  and  his  original  training  among  the 
Northwestern  Indians,  had  acquired  it  in  the  highest 
degree.  He  could  sit  or  lie  an  almost  incredible  length 
of  time,  so  still  that  he  would  seem  to  blend  into  the 
foliage,  and  now  as  he  lay  in  the  bushes  some  of  the 
little  animals  crept  near  and  watched  him.  A  squirrel, 
not  afraid  of  the  fire  in  the  distance,  came  down  the 
trunk  of  a  tree,  and  hanging  to  the  bark  not  five  feet 
away  regarded  him  with  small  red  eyes. 

Henry  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  little  gray  fellow  and 
turning  his  head  ever  so  slightly  regarded  him.  The 
red  eyes  looked  back  at  him  half  bold  and  half  afraid, 
but  Henry  had  lived  in  the  wild  so  much  that  the  two 

79 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

felt  almost  akin.  The  squirrel  saw  that  the  gigantic 
figure  on  the  ground  did  not  move,  and  that  the  light 
in  the  eyes  was  friendly.  He  crept  a  little  nearer,  de- 
voured by  curiosity.  He  had  never  seen  a  human 
being  before,  and  instinct  told  him  that  he  could  escape 
up  the  tree  before  this  great  beast  could  rise  and  seize 
him.  He  edged  cautiously  an  inch  nearer,  and  the  blue 
eyes  of  the  human  being  smiled  into  the  little  red  eyes 
of  the  animal. 

The  two  gazed  at  each  other  for  a  half  minute  or  so. 
It  was  a  look  of  the  utmost  friendliness,  and  then  the 
squirrel  went  noiselessly  back  up  the  tree.  It  was  a 
good  omen,  thought  Henry,  but  he  still  waited  with  the 
illimitable  patience  which  is  a  necessity  of  the  wild. 
He  saw  the  fire,  before  which  the  white  men  and  the 
chiefs  lay  sleeping,  sink  lower  and  lower.  The  night 
remained  dark.  The  heavy  drifting  clouds  which 
nevertheless  were  not  ready  to  open  for  rain,  moved 
overhead  in  solemn  columns.  The  surface  of  the  river 
grew  dim,  but  now  and  then  there  was  a  light  splash 
as  a  strong  fish  leaped  up  and  fell  back  into  the  current. 
The  Indian  guards  knowing  well  what  made  them, 
paid  no  attention  to  these  sounds. 

The  wind  increased  and  Henry  saw  all  the  canoes, 
including  those  lashed  together,  rocking  in  the  cur- 
rent. The  blast  made  a  whistling  sound  among  the 
bushes  and  boughs  and  he  concluded  that  the  time  for 
him  to  act  had  come.  He  took  off  all  his  clothing, 
made  it,  his  weapons  and  ammunition  in  a  bundle 
which  he  fastened  on  his  head,  and  then  swam  across 
the  river.     He  went  some  distance  down  the  bank, 

80 


•-•^ 


THE    DEED    IN    THE    WATER 

deposited  everything  except  his  heavy  hunting  knife 
securely  in  the  bush,  and  then,  with  the  knife  in  his 
teeth,  dropped  silently  into  the  river. 

The  lashing  of  the  wind  and  the  perceptible  rise  of 
the  stream  from  flooded  tributaries  farther  up,  made 
4  considerable  current,  and  Henry  floated  with  it.  But 
the  bank  on  the  camp  side  of  the  river  was  considerably 
higher  than  the  other  and  first  he  swam  across  to  its 
shelter. 

It  was  so  dark  now^  that  not  even  the  keen  eye  of  an 
Indian  could  have  seen  his  dark  head  on  the  dark  sur- 
face of  the  stream,  and  he  was  so  powerful  in  the  water 
that  he  swam  like  a  fish  wathout  noise.  Once  or  twice 
he  caught  the  gleam  of  the  fire^on  the  bank,  but  he 
knew  that  he  was  not  seen. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  dropped  in  behind  the  lashed 
canoes,  and  with  the  heavy  hunting  knife  cut  holes  in 
their  bark  bottoms.  He  was  skillful  and  strong,  but  it 
took  him  a  half -hour  to  finish  the  task,  and  he  stopped 
at  intervals  to  see  if  the  sentinels  had  noticed  anything 
unusual.  Evidently  they  dreamed  as  little  of  this  ven- 
ture as  of  that  of  the  fire  boat. 

He  cut  a  small  hole  in  every  one  at  first,  and  then 
enlarged  them  in  turn,  and  wdien  he  saw  the  water 
rising  in  the  boats  he  swam  rapidly  away,  still  keeping 
in  the  shelter  of  the  near  shore.  Then  he  dived,  rose 
just  behind  a  curve  and  walked  out  on  the  opposite 
bank,  his  figure  gleaming  white  for  a  moment  before 
he  crept  into  the  woods  where  his  clothes  and  weapons 
lay.  He  dressed  with  rapidity  and  still  lying  hidden  he 
heard  the  first  Indian  cry. 

8i 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAD. 

The  sentinels,  hearing  the  gurgling-  of  the  water,  had 
looked  over  and  seen  the  sinking  canoes.  Even  as  they 
looked,  and  as  the  alarm  brought  others,  the  canoes 
filled  with  water  and  sank  fifteen  feet  to  the  bottom  of 
the  stream. 

A  few  rays  of  moonlight  forced  their  way  through 
the  clouds  just  at  that  moment,  and  Henry  saw  the 
amazement  on  the  faces  of  the  warriors,  and  the  anger 
on  the  faces  of  the  white  men,  because  Alloway  and 
the  others,  awakened  by  the  alarm,  had  hurried  to  the 
banks  of  the  river. 

He  laughed  low  to  himself  but  with  deep  and 
intense  satisfaction.  He  was  enough  a  son  of  the  wild 
to  understand  the  emotions  of  the  Indians.  He  knew 
that  the  second  destruction  of  the  boats,  but  in  a  differ- 
ent w^a}^  would  fill  them  with  awe.  They  could  attach 
no  blame  to  the  sentinels  who  watched  as  only  Indians 
could  watch. 

Henry  saw  them  lift  the  remaining  canoes  upon  the 
bank  for  safety,  and  then  send  out  scouts  and  runners 
in  search  of  the  dangerous  foe  who  had  visited  them 
twice.  None  had  yet  come  to  his  side  of  the  river,  but 
he  knew  that  they  would  do  so  in  time,  and  feeling  that 
the  deed  was  sufficient  for  the  night,  he  fled  away  in 
the  darkness. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  FOREST  JOKER 

IT  was  Henry's  first  thought  to  return  to  his  com- 
rades, but  the  way  was  long  and  he  must  pass  by 
the  greater  Indian  camp,  which  surely  had  out 
many  sentinels.  So  he  changed  his  mind  and  resolved 
to  spend  the  night  in  the  woods.  Shif'less  Sol  and  the 
others  would  not  be  alarmed  about  his  absence.  They 
too  had  acquired  the  gift  of  infinite  patience  and  would 
remain  under  cover,  until  he  returned,  content  wath 
their  stone  walls  and  roof,  having  plenty  of  venison, 
and  fresh  water  running  forever  in  their  home 
itself. 

It  w^as  his  idea  to  seek  some  thicket  at  a  distance  and 
lie  hidden  there  until  the  next  night,  when  he  might 
achieve  a  fresh  irruption  upon  the  enemy.  He  had 
succeeded  so  far  that  he  was  encouraged  to  new  at- 
tempts, and  all  the  wilderness  spirit  in  him  came  to  the 
front.  The  civilization  of  the  house  and  the  city  sank 
quite  away.  He  was  for  the  time  being  wholly  a 
creature  of  the  primeval  forest,  and  while  his  breath 
was  the  very  breath  of  the  wild  he  felt  with  it  a  frolic 
fancy  that  demanded  some  outlet.    He  must  sleep,  but 

83 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

he  would  like  to  play  a  new  trick  upon  his  enemies 
before  he  slept. 

The  spirit  of  the  Faun,  in  which  the  old  Greeks  be- 
lieved, was  re-created  within  him,  and  where  could  a 
better  place  for  its  re-creation  have  been  found  than  in 
this  vast  green  wilderness  stretching  from  east  to  west 
a  thousand  miles,  and  from  north  to  south  fifteen  hun- 
dred miles,  a  region  almost  untouched  by  the  white 
man,  the  like  of  which  was  not  to  be  found  elsewhere 
on  the  globe. 

He  laughed  a  little  in  his  triumph,  though  silently. 
As  he  strode  along  a  stray  ray  of  moonlight  fell  upon 
him  now  and  then,  and  disclosed  the  tall,  splendid 
figure,  the  incarnation  of  magnificent  youth,  the  forest 
superman,  one  upon  whom  Nature  had  lavished  every 
gift  for  the  life  that  he  was  intended  to  live.  Although 
his  step  was  light  and  soundless,  his  figure  expressed 
strength  in  every  movement.  It  was  shown  in  the 
swing  of  the  mighty  shoulders,  and  the  long  stride 
which  without  effort  dropped  the  miles  behind  him. 

It  was  destined,  too,  that  he  should  have  his  wish 
for  another  achievement  that  night,  one  that  would 
please  the  sportive  fancy  now  so  strong  in  him.  After 
recrossing  the  river  he  saw  on  his  left  an  opening  of 
considerable  size,  and  he  heard  grunts  and  groans 
coming  from  it.  He  knew  that  a  buffalo  troop  was 
resting  there.  The  foolish  beasts  had  wandered  into 
the  Indian  vicinity,  but  they  would  learn  the  proximity 
of  the  warriors  the  next  day  and  wander  away.  Mean- 
while Henry  needed  them  and  would  use  them.  Now 
and  then  he  reverted  to  the  religious  imagery  which  he 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

had  learned  when  he  was  with  Red  Cloud  and  his 
Northwestern  tribe.  Manitou  had  really  sent  this 
buffalo  herd  there  for  his  particular  benefit.  It  w^as 
the  largest  that  he  had  ever  seen  in  Kentucky.  Fully 
five  hundred  of  the  great  brutes  rested  in  the  opening 
and  he  needed  numbers. 

He  passed  into  the  thick  forest  near  them,  and  then 
with  infinite  patience  lighted  a  fire  with  his  flint  and 
steel.  Securing  long  sticks  of  dead  wood  he  ignited 
them  both  until  they  burned  with  a  steady  and  strong 
flame.  Strapping  his  rifle  upon  his  back  and  holding 
aloft  a  flaming  torch  in  either  hand,  and  uttering  fierce 
and  wald  shouts  he  charged  directly  upon  the  buffaloes. 

He  showed  prodigious  activity.  All  the  extraor- 
dinary life  that  was  in  him  leaped  and  sang  in  his 
veins.  He  rushed  back  and  forth,  uttering  continuous 
shouts,  whirling  each  torch  until  it  made  a  perfect 
circle  of  fire.  Doubtless  to  the  heavy  eyes  of  the 
buffaloes  the  single  human  being  seemed  twenty, 
every  one  enveloped  in  bursts  of  flame  which  they 
dreaded  most  of  all  things. 

A  big  bull  buffalo,  the  leader  of  the  herd,  crouched 
at  the  very  edge  of  the  opening,  decided  first  that  it 
w^as  time  to  move.  The  whirling  circles  of  fire  with 
living  beings  inside  of  them  filled  him  with  terror. 
His  ton  of  flesh  quivered  and  quaked.  He  rose  with 
a  mighty  heave  to  his  feet  and  then  with  a  bellow  of 
fright  took  flight  from  the  flashing  devils  of  fire. 

The  w^hole  herd  was  in  a  panic  in  an  instant  and 
followed  the  leader.  They  might  have  scattered  in 
their  fright,  but  they  were  shepherded  by  a  human 

85 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

mind,  which  had  alHed  with  it  a  body  without  an 
equal  in  all  that  million  and  a  half  square  miles  of 
forest.  As  he  leaped  to  and  fro,  shouting  and  whirling 
his  torches,  he  drove  the  herd  straight  toward  the 
camp  on  the  river  where  the  English  officers  and  chiefs 
were  even  now  asleep. 

A  few  animals  broke  off  from  the  herd  and  were 
lost  in  the  bushes,  but  the  rest  ran,  packed  close,  a 
long  column,  tapering  at  the  front  like  an  arrow  head, 
with  the  big  bull  as  its  point.  They  bellowed  with 
fright  and  made  a  tremendous  crashing  as  they  raced 
over  the  mile  that  divided  them  from  the  Indian  camp. 
Warriors  heard  the  uproar,  like  the  bursting  of  a 
storm  in  the  night,  and  leaped  to  their  feet. 

Now  Henry  fairly  surpassed  every  effort  that  he  had 
made  hitherto.  He  leaped  more  wildly  than  ever,  and 
redoubled  his  fierce  shouting.  He  was  so  close  upon 
the  flank  of  the  last  buffaloes  that  they  felt  the  torches 
singeing  their  hair,  and,  mad  with  fear  lest  they  go  to 
their  buffalo  heaven  sooner  than  they  wished  they 
charged  directly  upon  the  Indian  camp. 

The  wild  yells  of  the  warriors  joined  with  Henry's 
shouts.  Alloway,  Cartwright  and  the  others  leaped 
up  to  see  the  red  eyes,  the  short  crooked  horns  and  the 
huge,  humped  shoulders  of  the  buffaloes  bearing  down 
upon  them.  Nothing  could  withstand  that  rush  of 
mighty  bodies  and  white  men  and  Indians  alike  ran  for 
their  lives. 

The  buffaloes  came  up  against  the  river,  and  blocked 
by  its  deep  flood,  turned,  and,  running  over  the  camp 
again,  crashed  away  toward  the  west.    Henry,  stopping 

86 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

at  a  convenient  distance,  tossed  his  torches  into  the 
river,  and  taking  the  rifle  from  his  back  sank  into  the 
bushes.  Here  he  laughed  once  more,  under  his  breath, 
but  with  the  most  intense  delight.  It  was  the  hugest 
joke  of  all. 

Without  any  great  danger  to  himself  he  had  made 
the  buffaloes  serve  him,  and  he  could  still  hear  them 
bellow^ing  and  crashing  in  their  frantic  flight.  Al- 
though no  lives  had  been  lost,  everything  in  the  camp 
had  been  trodden  flat.  All  of  their  cooking  utensils 
had  been  smashed,  many  of  their  rifles  had  been  broken, 
and,  the  canoes  drawn  upon  the  bank,  had  been 
ground  under  the  hoofs  of  the  buffaloes.  A  hurricane 
could  not  have  made  a  w^eck  more  complete. 

Henry  saw  Alloway  emerge  from  the  forest  and 
come  back  to  the  scene  of  ruin.  He  had  taken  off  his 
coat  before  he  lay  down,  but  only  fragments  of  it 
remained  now.  He  was  red  wath  anger  and  he  swore 
violently.  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle  had  lost 
their  blankets,  but,  whatever  they  felt,  they  kept  it  to 
themselves.  They  looked  upon  the  trodden  camp,  but 
they  did  not  lose  their  dignity. 

"What  is  this?  What  is  this?  What  is  this?" 
stuttered  Alloway  in  his  wTath. 

"We  seem,  sir,  to  have  been  run  over  by  a  herd  of 
buffaloes,"  said  Wyatt,  smoothly. 

"And  does  this  sort  of  thing  happen  often  in  these 
woods  ?" 

"I  can't  say  that  Tve  heard  of  such  a  case  before, 
but  even  if  it's  a  single  instance  we're  the  victims  of 
it." 

97 


THE    KEEPERS   OF   THE   TRAIL 

Alloway  glared  at  Wyatt,  but  he  knew  that  he  could 
not  afford  to  quarrel  with  the  young  renegade,  who 
had  great  influence  with  the  tribes.  He  picked  up  the 
fragments  of  his  red  coat  and  looked  at  them  rue- 
fully. 

"I  didn't  know  that  the  herds  were  ever  so  large  in 
this  forest  country,"  he  said  to  Blackstaffe. 
"It's  seldom  so,"  said  the  older  renegade. 
"Is  it  their  habit  to  rise  up  at  midnight  and  gallop 
over  men's  camps?'* 
"It  is  not." 

"Then  how  do  you  account  for  such  behavior  ?*' 
Blackstaffe  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  spoke  a  few 
words  in  their  own  tongue  to  the  chiefs.     Then  he 
turned  back  to  Colonel  Alloway. 

"The  chiefs  tell  me,"  he  said,  "that  the  buffaloes 
were  driven  by  a  demon,  an  immense  figure,  preceded 
by  whirling  circles  of  fire.  The  evil  spirit,  they  say, 
is  upon  them." 

"And  do  you  believe  such  nonsense?" 
"A  continuous  life  in  the  deep  woods  gives  one  new 
beliefs.  I  thought  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  such  a  figure, 
but  when  I  tried  for  a  second  look  it  was  gone.  But 
whether  right  or  wrong  you  can  see  what  has  hap- 
pened. Our  camp  has  been  destroyed  and  with  it  most 
of  the  canoes.  We  have  lost  much,  and  the  Indians  are 
greatly  alarmed.  It  is  superstition,  not  fear,  that  has 
affected  them." 

.  "In  my  opinion,"  said  Braxton  Wyatt,  "it  was  a 
trick  of  Henry  Ware's.  He  drove  those  buffaloes 
dow^n  upon  us." 

38 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

**Very  likely^"  said  Blackstaffe,  ''but  you  can't  per- 
suade the  Indians  so." 

"Nor  me  either,"  said  Alloway  gruffly.  "You  can't 
tell  me  that  a  backwoods  youth  can  do  so  much." 

"But,"  said  Blackstaffe,  "our  scows  were  blown  up, 
our  lashed  canoes  were  sunk,  and  now  the  buffaloes 
have  been  driven  over  us.  It  couldn't  be  chance.  I 
think  with  Wyatt  that  it  was  Ware,  but  the  chiefs  are 
not  willing  to  stay  here  longer.  They  demand  that 
w^e  return  to  the  great  camp  in  the  morning,  and  that 
we  abandon  the  attempt  to  take  the  cannon  up  the 
river." 

"Which  means  an  infinite  amount  of  work  with  the 
ax,"  growled  Alloway.  "Well,  let  it  be  so,  if  it  must, 
but  I  will  not  move  tonight  for  anything.  At  least 
grass  and  trees  are  left,  and  I  can  sleep  on  one  and 
under  the  other." 

The  chiefs,  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle,  thought 
they  ought  to  march  at  once,  but  they  yielded  to  Allo- 
way who  was  master  of  the  great  guns  with  which  they 
hoped  to  smash  the  palisades  around  the  settlements. 
Complete  cooperation  between  white  man  and  red  man 
w-as  necessary  for  the  success  of  the  expedition,  and 
sometimes  it  was  necessary  for  one  to  placate  the 
other. 

They  chose  places  anew  upon  ground  that  looked 
like  a  lost  field  of  battle.  The  buffaloes  had  practically 
trampled  the  camp  into  the  earth.  The  Indians  had 
lost  most  of  their  blankets  and  in  taking  the  canoes 
from  the  river  and  putting  them  upon  the  bank  to 
escape  one  form  of  destruction  they  had  merely  met 

89 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

another.  But  they  did  the  best  they  could,  seeking  the 
most  comfortable  places  for  sleep,  and  resolved  to 
secure  rest  for  the  remainder  of  the  night. 

But  Red  Eagle  and  Yellow  Panther,  great  chiefs 
though  they  were,  were  troubled  by  bad  dreams  which 
came  straight  from  Ha-nis-ja-o-no-geh,  the  dwelling 
place  of  the  Evil  Minded.  An  enemy  whom  they  could 
not  see  or  hear,  but  whose  presence  they  felt,  was  near. 
He  had  brought  misfortune  upon  them  and  he  would 
bring  more.  They  awoke  from  their  dreams  and  sat 
up.  The  white  men  were  sleeping  heavily,  but  then 
white  men  were  often  foolish  in  the  forest. 

Everything  that  stirred  in  the  wilderness  had  a 
voice  for  the  Indian.  North  wind  or  south  wind,  east 
wind  or  west  wind  all  said  something  to  him.  The 
flowing  of  the  river,  and  the  sounds  made  by  animals 
in  the  darkness  had  their  meaning.  Yellow  Panther 
and  Red  Eagle  were  great  chiefs,  mighty  on  the  war 
path,  filled  with  the  lore  of  their  tribes,  and  they  knew 
that  Manitou  expressed  himself  in  many  ways.  They 
spoke  together  and  when  they  compared  their  bad 
dreams  straight  from  Ha-nis-ja-o-no-geh  they  felt 
apprehension.  The  wind  was  blowing  from  the  north- 
west, and  its  voice  was  a  threat.  Then  came  the  weird 
cry  of  an  owl  from  a  point  north  of  them,  and  they 
did  not  know  whether  it  was  a  real  owl  or  the  same 
evil  spirit  that  had  sent  the  bad  dreams. 

The  two  chiefs,  wary  and  brave,  were  troubled. 
They  could  fight  the  seen,  but  the  unseen  was  a  foe 
whom  no  warrior  knew  how  to  meet.  Then  they  heard 
the  owl  again,  but  from  another  point,  farther  to  the 

90 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

west,  and  after  a  while  the  cry  came  from  a  point 
almost  due  west. 

They  sent  the  boldest  and  most  skillful  warrior  to 
scout  the  forest  in  that  direction  and  they  waited  long 
for  his  return,  but  he  never  came  back.  When  the 
second  hour  after  his  departure  had  been  completed 
the  chiefs  awakened  all  the  others  and  announced  that 
they  would  start  at  once  for  the  great  camp. 

Alloway  growled  and  cursed  under  his  breath. 

''What  is  it?"  he  said  to  Braxton  Wyatt,  who  had 
been  talking  with  Red  Eagle  and  Yellow  Panther. 
*'Can't  we  finish  in  peace  what's  left  of  the  night?" 

''We  must  yield  to  the  chiefs,  sir,"  said  Wyatt.  "If 
we  don't  there  will  be  trouble,  and  the  whole  expedition 
will  fail  before  it's  fairly  started.  While  we  were 
asleep  they  heard  an  owl  hoot  from  several  different 
points  of  the  compass,  and  they  think  it  an  omen  of 
evil.  They  may  be  right,  because  a  scout,  a  man  of 
uncommon  skill,  whom  they  sent  out  two  hours  ago 
with  instructions  to  return  in  an  hour  or  less,  has  not 
come  back.  If  you  consider  the  misfortunes  that  have 
befallen  us  tonight,  you  can't  blame  'em." 

The  hoot  of  the  owl,  much  nearer,  came  suddenly 
through  the  forest.  To  the  chiefs  and  to  the  white 
men  as  well  it  had  a  long  menacing  note.  It  was  an 
omen  of  ill  and  it  came  from  the  Place  of  Evil  Dreams. 
Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle,  great  chiefs,  victors 
in  many  a  forest  foray,  shuddered.  Fear  struck  like 
daggers  at  their  hearts. 

"Gray  Beaver,  our  scout,  will  never  come  back,"  said 
Yellow  Panther,  and  Red  Eagle  nodded. 

91 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

The  surcharged  air  affected  Alloway  and  the  other 
white  men  also.  The  obvious  fears  of  the  chiefs  and 
the  black  wilderness  about  him  created  an  atmosphere 
that  the  colonel  could  not  resist.  He  glanced  at  the 
dark  files  of  the  trees  and  listened  to  the  low  moaning 
of  the  river  as  it  flowed  past.  Then  from  a  point  in  the 
south  came  that  warning,  plangent  cry  of  the  evil  bird. 
Perspiration  stood  out  on  the  brows  of  the  chiefs  and 
Alloway  himself  was  shaken.  Superstition  and  fears 
bred  of  the  wilderness  and  its  darkness  entered  into  his 
own  soul.    The  place  suddenly  became  hateful  to  him. 

"Let  us  go/'  he  said.  "Perhaps  it  is  better  that  we 
rejoin  the  main  force." 

Braxton  Wyatt  had  his  own  opinion,  but  he  was  as 
willing  as  the  others  to  depart.  Pie  felt  that  on  this 
expedition  he  would  be  safer  with  the  warriors  all 
about  him.  He  had  saved  his  own  rifle  from  the  rush 
of  the  herd,  and  putting  it  on  his  shoulder  he  fell  in 
behind  the  chiefs. 

The  whole  party  started,  but  they  found  that  al- 
though they  had  left  an  evil  place  they  had  also  begun 
an  evil  march.  The  owl,  which  the  Indians  were  quite 
sure  contained  the  soul  of  some  great  dead  warrior, 
followed  and  continually  menaced  them.  Its  cry  was 
heard  from  one  side  and  then  from  the  other.  Colonel 
Alloway,  a  brave  man,  though  choleric  and  cruel,  was 
exasperated  beyond  endurance.  He  raged  and  swore 
as  they  marched  through  the  dark  thickets,  the  Indians 
moving  lightly  and  surely,  while  he  often  stumbled. 
He  insisted  at  last  that  they  stop  and  take  action. 

"Do  you  think  this  is  a  real  owl  following  us  ?"  he 

92 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

said  to  Wyatt,  whom  he  invariably  used  as  an  inter- 
preter. 

''I  think  it  is  Ware,  of  whom  I  told  you." 

"You're  as  bad  in  your  way  as  the  Indians  are  in 
theirs.    Why,  the  fellow  would  be  superhuman !" 

"That  would  not  keep  it  from  being  true." 

Alloway  knew  from  Wyatt's  tone  that  he  meant  what 
he  said. 

"We  must  hunt  down  this  forest  rover!"  he  ex- 
claimed. "I  can  see  that  he  is  striking  a  heavy  blow 
at  the  Indians  through  their  superstitions." 

"No  doubt  of  that,  sir." 

"Tell  the  chiefs  for  me  that  we  must  send  out  a  half 
dozen  trailers  while  the  rest  of  us  remain  here.  I'm 
not  as  used  as  you  are  to  midnight  marches  in  the 
forest,  and  every  bone  in  me  aches." 

Wyatt  translated  and  Yellow  Panther  and  Red 
Eagle  consented.  A  half-dozen  of  the  best  trailers 
slipped  away  in  different  directions  in  the  forest,  and 
the  rest  sat  down  in  a  group.  They  waited  a  long 
time  and  heard  nothing.  The  owl  did  not  cry,  nor  did 
any  human  shout  come  from  the  haunted  depths  of  the 
wilderness. 

"At  least  they've  driven  him  away,"  said  Alloway 
to  Cartwright. 

"I  think  so,  sir." 

Out  of  the  forest,  low  at  first,  but  swelling  on  a  long 
triumphant  note,  came  the  solemn  voice  of  the  owl. 
Alloway,  despite  himself,  shuddered.  The  sinister  cry 
expressed  victory.  His  own  mind,  like  those  of  the 
Indians,  had  become  attuned  to  the  superstitions  and 

93 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

fears  bred  of  ignorance  and  the  dark.  His  heart 
paused,  and  when  it  began  its  work  again  the  beat  was 
heavy. 

A  darker  blot  appeared  on  the  darkness  and  two 
warriors,  bearing  a  third,  came  through  the  bushes. 
The  man  w^hom  they  bore  was  a  dark-browed,  cruel 
savage  who  had  carried  the  scalp  of  a  white  woman  at 
his  belt.  But  he  would  hunt  or  scalp  no  more.  He  had 
been  cloven  from  brow  to  chin  with  the  blow  of  a  toma- 
hawk wielded  by  an  arm  mighty  like  that  of  Hercules. 
Colonel  AUoway  looked  upon  the  slain  savage  and 
shuddered  again. 

**Ask  them  how  it  happened,"  he  said  to  Wyatt. 

The  young  renegade,  after  speaking  with  the  Indians, 
replied : 

"Black  Fox,  the  dead  warrior,  turned  aside  to  look 
into  a  willow  thicket.  The  others  heard  the  beginning 
of  a  cry,  that  is  one  that  w^as  checked  suddenly,  and  the 
sound  of  a  blow.  Then  they  found  Black  Fox  as  you 
see  him  there." 

"And  the  one  who  struck  him  down?" 

"There  was  no  trace  of  him,  but  I,  at  least,  have  no 
doubt  about  him.  Colonel  Alloway,  sir,  I  tell  you  he 
is  the  greatest  forester  that  ever  lived.  He  has  all  the 
different  kinds  of  strength  of  the  red  man  and  the 
white  man  united,  and  something  more,  a  power  which 
I  once  heard  a  learned  man  say  must  have  belonged  to 
people  when  they  had  no  weapons  but  clubs,  and  beasts 
far  bigger  than  any  of  our  time  roamed  the  woods.  It 
must  have  been  a  sort  of  feeling  or  sense  that  we  can't 
understand,  like  the  nose  of  a  hound,  and  this  Ware 
has  it." 

94 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

"Pshaw !  Pshaw !  Pshaw !"  exclaimed  Alloway  vio- 
lently. But  Wyatt  saw  that  his  violence  of  speech  was 
assumed  to  hide  his  own  growing  belief.  The  two 
chiefs  beckoned  to  him,  and  he  talked  with  them  briefly. 
Then  he  turned  to  Alloway. 

*'Red  Eagle  and  Yellow  Panther  ask  me  to  say  to 
you,  sir,  that  they'll  send  no  more  warriors  into  the 
forest.  The  Evil  Spirit  is  there  and  while  they're  ready 
to  fight  men  they  will  not  fight  devils." 

*T  don't  blame  'em,"  said  Alloway  reluctantly. 
"We've  been  outwitted  and  made  fools  of,  and  the  best 
thing  we  can  do  is  to  get  back  to  the  great  camp  as 
soon  as  we  can.    Tell  the  chiefs  we're  ready  to  march." 

But  the  way  was  long  and  the  night  was  still  black. 
The  cry  of  the  owl  came  several  times,  first  on  the  right 
and  then  on  the  left.  Every  time  he  heard  it  the  heart 
of  the  colonel  beat  with  anger,  tinged  with  awe.  It 
was  a  strange  world  into  which  he  had  come,  and  while 
he  would  not  have  acknowledged  it  to  another,  he  knew 
that  he  was  afraid.  And  afraid  of  w^hat  ?  Of  a  single 
figure,  lurking  somewhere  in  the  dusk,  that  seemed 
able  to  strike  at  any  moment  w^herever  and  w^henever 
it  wished. 

The  band,  with  its  chiefs,  its  wdiite  men  and  its 
renegades  marched  on,  the  two  English  oflicers  panting 
from  such  unusual  exertion,  and  tripping  often  as  they 
grew  weaker.  It  hurt  Alloway  to  ask  them  to  stop  and 
let  him  rest,  and  he  put  off  the  evil  moment  as  long  as 
he  could,  but  at  last,  as  his  breath  became  shorter  and 
shorter,  he  was  compelled  to  do  so. 

The  chiefs  acquiesced  silently  and  the  whole  band 

95 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

stopped.  Alloway  sat  down  on  one  of  those  fallen  logs 
to  be  found  everywhere  in  the  primeval  forest,  and  his 
breath  came  in  long  painful  sobs.  He  was  just  a  little 
too  stout  for  wilderness  work,  that  is  for  the  marching 
part  of  it,  and  he  was  hurt  cruelly  in  both  body  and 
spirit.  As  his  general  weakness  grew,  the  cry  of  the 
owl  directly  in  their  path  and  not  far  away  was  like 
fire  touched  to  an  open  wound. 

"Can't  some  of  the  warriors  go  forward,  ambush  and 
shoot  that  fiend?"  he  exclaimed  in  desperation  to 
Blackstaffe. 

"You  saw  what  happened  when  we  tried  it  an  hour 
ago,"  replied  the  renegade.  "In  the  darkness  one  man 
has  an  opportunity  over  many.  He  knows  that  all  are 
his  enemies,  and  he  can  shoot  the  moment  he  hears  a 
sound  or  sees  a  rustle  in  the  bush.  Besides,  sir,  we  are 
confronted,  as  Wyatt  has  told  you,  by  the  one  foe  who 
is  the  most  dangerous  in  all  the  world  to  us.  There  is 
something  about  him  that  passes  almost  beyond  belief. 
I'm  not  a  coward,  as  these  Indians  will  tell  you,  but 
nothing  could  induce  me  to  go  into  the  forest  in  search 
of  him." 

Alloway  made  no  reply,  but  he  took  off  a  cocked  hat 
that  he  wore  even  in  the  wilderness,  and  began  to  fan 
his  heated  face.  A  rifle  cracked  suddenly,  and  the  hat 
flew  from  his  hand  into  the  air.  The  Indians  uttered 
a  long  wailing  cry  like  the  Seneca  "Oonah,"  but  did 
not  move  from  their  places  or  show  any  sign  that  they 
wished  to  pursue. 

The  colonel's  empty  hand  remained  poised  in  the 
air,  and  he  gazed  with  mingled  anger  and  wonder  at 

96 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

his  hat,  lying  upon  the  ground,  and  perforated  neatly 
by  a  bullet.  Wyatt,  Blackstaffe  and  Cartwright  looked 
at  him  but  said  nothing.  Even  Wyatt  felt  a  thrill  of 
awe. 

"That,  sir,  was  a  warning,"  he  said  at  last.  "He 
could  have  shot  you  as  easily." 

"But  why  don't  the  warriors  pursue?  He  could  not 
have  been  much  more  than  a  hundred  yards  away!" 

"They're  afraid,  sir,  and  I  don't  blame  'em." 

Wyatt  himself  showed  apprehension.  He  knew  the 
bitter  hatred  the  borderers  felt  toward  all  renegades. 
The  name  of  Girty  was  already  one  of  loathing. 
Blackstaffe  was  another  who  could  expect  little  mercy, 
if  he  ever  fell  into  their  hands,  and  Wyatt  himself 
knew  that  he  had  fully  earned  the  Kentucky  bullet.  He 
did  not  feel  the  superstition  of  the  warrior,  but  he 
regarded  the  gloomy  depths  of  the  forest  with  just  as 
much  terror.  There  was  no  reason  why  the  silent 
marksman  who  hung  upon  them  should  not  pick  him 
out  for  a  target. 

They  came  to  a  creek  running  three  feet  deep,  but 
they  waded  it  and  then  stood  for  a  minute  or  two  on 
the  bank,  wTinging  the  water  out  of  their  clothing. 
Colonel  Alloway  still  cursed  under  his  breath,  and  be- 
moaned the  fate  that  had  befallen  him.  It  seemed  a 
cruel  jest  that  he,  who  had  served  in  Flanders  and 
Germany,  in  open  country  that  had  been  civilized  many 
centuries,  should  be  sent  from  Detroit  to  march  as  an 
ally  of  savages  in  that  enormous  and  unknown  wilder- 
ness. 

The  cry  of  the  owl  came  from  a  point  straight  ahead, 

97 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  not  more  than  four  hundred  yards  away.  Not  a 
savage  moved.  But  Alloway's  whole  frame  shook  with 
furious  anger.  It  was  preposterous  that  they  should  be 
harried  so  on  their  march  by  a  single  enemy.  Once 
more  he  turned  to  Wyatt  and  said : 

*'Can't  we  spread  out  in  some  manner  and  catch  this 
impudent  fellow  ?  Are  thirty  men  to  be  driven  all  night 
through  the  woods  by  a  single  border  rover  ?" 

"I  can  put  your  question  to  the  chiefs,'*  Wyatt  re- 
plied, "but  I  doubt  whether  anything  will  come  of  it." 

He  talked  a  little  with  Yellow  Panther  and  Red 
Eagle  and  found  that  they  were  willing  to  try  again. 
They  were  pursued  by  a  devil,  but,  mysterious  as  he 
was,  they  would  send  forth  the  warriors,  and  perhaps 
they  might  trap  him.  They  gave  the  signal  and  a  dozen 
savages  plunged  at  once  into  the  bush,  spreading  out 
like  a  fan,  and  advancing  toward  the  point  from  which 
the  owl  had  sent  his  haunting  cry. 

The  others  waited  a  long  time  by  the  creek,  and 
Alloway's  rage  still  burned.  It  was  past  endurance 
that  a  gentleman  and  an  officer  should  be  hunted 
through  the  woods  in  such  a  manner,  insulted  even  by  a 
bullet  through  his  fine  cocked  hat,  and  hope  being  the 
father  of  belief,  he  was  sure  that  the  warriors  would 
finish  him  this  time. 

He  heard  a  sudden  sharp  report  in  the  woods  behind 
them,  on  the  other  side  of  the  creek  that  they  had 
crossed,  and  a  bullet  buried  itself  in  the  tree  against 
which  he  was  leaning,  not  very  far  from  his  face.  He 
uttered  a  deep  oath,  but  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle 
signaled  to  their  forces  to  take  the  trail  once  more. 

98 


THE    FOREST    JOKER 

The  one  in  whom  the  Evil  Spirit  dwelled  and  who  had 
come  to  mock  them  could  not  be  caught.  They  would 
waste  no  more  time,  but  would  march  as  fast  as  they 
could  to  the  main  camp.  They  sent  out  cries  that  called 
in  the  warriors  and  then  they  set  off  at  a  great  pace. 

But  all  through  the  remainder  of  the  night  the  Evil 
Spirit  hung  upon  them,  sometimes  beside  them,  and 
sometimes  behind  them,  and  the  terror  of  the  warriors 
grew.  Upon  more  than  one  face  the  war  paint  was 
damp  with  perspiration,  and  Colonel  Alloway,  his  red 
face  dripping,  was  forced  to  keep  up  with  them,  stride 
for  stride. 

Their  terror  did  not  diminish  at  all  until  the  daylight 
came.  Red  Eagle  and  Yellow  Panther,  great  chiefs, 
were  glad  to  see  the  glow  over  the  eastern  forest  that 
told  of  the  rising  sun.  Even  then  they  did  not  stop, 
but  kept  on  at  high  speed,  until  the  morning  was  flooded 
with  light,  W'hen*they  stopped  for  fresh  breath. 

The  English  officers  threw  themselves  upon  the 
ground  and  gasped.  They  were  not  ashamed  to  show 
now  to  the  Indians  that  they  were  weary  almost  to 
death. 

*'l  think  I  left  at  least  twenty  pounds  in  that  cursed 
forest,"  said  Alloway. 

''I'm  not  anxious  for  another  such  march,"  said  Cart- 
wTight  with  sympathy.  ''But,  sir,  you  can  see  a  big 
smoke  rising  not  more  than  a  mile  ahead.  That  must 
be  the  main  camp." 

"It  is,"  said  Braxton  Wyatt,  "and  there  are  some  of 
the  scouts  coming  to  meet  us." 

Far  behind  them  rose  the  long  hoot  of  the  owl,  but 

99 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Wyatt  knew  that  they  would  hear  it  no  more  that  day. 
He  regarded  the  Enghsh  officers  grimly.  They  had 
patronized  him  and  Blackstaffe,  and  now  they  made  the 
poorest  showing  of  all.    In  the  woods  they  were  lost. 

Alloway  and  Cartwright  rose  after  a  long  rest  and 
limped  into  the  camp.  The  colonel  reflected  that  he  had 
lost  prestige  but  there  were  the  cannon.  The  warriors 
could  not  afford  to  march  against  Kentucky  without 
them,  and  only  he  and  his  men  knew  how  to  use  them. 
In  a  huge  camp,  with  a  brilliant  sun  driving  away  many 
of  the  fancies  that  night  and  the  forest  brought,  his 
full  sense  of  importance  returned.  He  began  to  talk 
now  of  pushing  forward  at  once  with  the  guns,  in  order 
that  they  might  strike  before  the  settlers  were  aware. 


CHAPTER    VI 


THE   KING   WOLF 


WHEN  the  two  chiefs,  Alloway  and  the 
smaller  force,  were  driven  into  the  great 
camp,  Henry  turned  aside  into  the  forest 
and  felt  that  he  had  done  well.  All  the  fanciful  spirit 
of  the  younger  w^orld  created  by  the  Greeks  had  been 
alive  in  him  that  night.  He  had  been  a  young  Her- 
cules at  play  and  he  had  enjoyed  his  grim  jokes.  He 
was  not  only  a  young  Hercules,  he  was  a  primeval  son 
of  the  forest  to  whom  the  wilderness  was  a  book  in 
which  he  read. 

He  went  back  a  little  on  their  path,  and  he  marked 
where  the  European  leader  had  fallen  twice  through 
sheer  weariness  or  because  he  could  not  see  w^ell  enough 
in  the  dusk  to  evade  trailing  vines.  A  red  thread  or 
two  on  a  bush  showed  that  he  had  torn  his  uniform  in 
falling,  and  the  young  woods  rover  laughed.  He  could 
not  recall  another  such  gratifying  night,  one  in  which 
he  had  served  his  own  people  and  also  had  annoyed 
the  enemy  beyond  endurance. 

He  went  deep  into  the  forest,  hiding  his  trail  as  usual, 
and  lay  down  in  a  covert  to  rest,  while  he  ate  some  of 

lOI 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  venison  that  he  had  left.  Here  he  saw  again  his 
friends  of  the  little  trails,  with  which  he  was  so 
familiar.  The  shy  rabbits  were  creeping  through  the 
bushes  and  instinctively  they  seemed  to  have  no  fear  of 
him.  Two  little  birds  not  ten  feet  over  his  head  were 
singing  in  intense  rivalry.  Their  tiny  throats  swelled 
out  as  they  poured  forth  a  brilliant  volume  of  song,  and 
Henry,  lying  perfectly  still,  looked  up  at  them  and 
admired  them.  It  would  have  required  keen  eyes  like 
his  to  have  picked  them  out,  each  of  whom  a  green  leaf 
would  have  covered,  but  he  saw  them  and  recognized 
them  as  friends  of  his.  He  did  not  know  them  person- 
ally, but  since  all  their  tribe  were  his  comrades  they 
must  be  so  too. 

Although  he  was  one  of  mighty  prowess  with  the 
rifle,  and  a  taker  of  game,  Henry  always  felt  his  kin- 
ship with  the  little  people  of  the  forest.  No  one  of 
them  ever  fell  wantonly  at  his  hands.  The  gay  birds 
in  their  red  or  blue  plumiage  and  all  the  soberer  garbs 
between,  were  safe  from  him.  It  seemed  that  they  too 
at  times  recognized  him  as  a  friend  since  he  would  hear 
the  flutter  of  tiny  wings  over  his  head  or  by  his  ear, 
and  see  them  pass  in  a  flash  of  flame,  or  of  blue  or  of 
brown. 

Those  old  tales  of  Paul  floated  once  more  through 
his  mind.  He  had  no  doubt  that  Paul  was  right.  The 
Biblical  six  thousand  years  might  be  six  million  years 
as  men  thought  of  them  now.  And  he  knew  himself, 
from  his  own  eye,  that  huge  monsters,  larger  than  any 
that  lived  now,  did  roam  the  earth  once.  He  had  seen 
their  bones  in  hundreds  at  the  Big  Bone  Lick,  where 

X02 


THE    KING    WOLF 

they  had  come  to  get  the  salty  water  scores  of  thousands 
of  years  ago.  It  seemed  to  him  then  that  in  those  days 
men  and  the  little  animals  and  the  little  birds  must  have 
been  allies  against  the  monsters.  Here,  in  the  woods, 
so  far  from  civilization,  this  friendship  must  be  con- 
tinued. The  light  wind  which  so  often  sang  to  him 
through  the  leaves  sprang  up  and  joined  its  note  to  that 
of  the  birds.  The  fierce,  wild  spirit  that  had  made  him 
haunt  the  flying  trail  the  night  before,  and  that  had 
sent  the  tomahawk  so  deep,  departed.  He  felt  singu- 
larly friendly  to  all  created  beings. 

Lying  on  his  back  and  looking  upw^ard  into  the  green 
roof,  Henry  listened  to  the  forest  concert.  The  two 
over  his  head  were  still  singing  with  utmost  vigor,  but 
others  had  joined.  From  all  the  trees  and  bushes  about 
him  came  a  volume  of  song,  and  the  shadow  of  no 
swooping  hawk  or  eagle  fell  across  the  sky  to  disturb 
them. 

He  had  a  little  bread  in  his  pouch,  and  he  threw  some 
crumbs  on  the  grass  a  few  feet  away.  The  hand  and 
arm  that  had  cast  them  sank  by  his  side,  remained  ab- 
solutely still  and  he  waited.  The  wonder  that  he  was 
wishing  so  intensely  came  to  pass.  A  bird,  brown  and 
tiny,  alighted  on  the  grass  and  pecked  one  of  the 
crumbs.  Beyond  a  doubt,  this  was  a  bold  bird,  a  leader 
among  his  kind,  an  explorer  and  discoverer.  He  had 
never  seen  a  crumb  before,  but  he  picked  up  one  in  his 
tiny  bill  and  found  it  good.  Then  he  announced  the 
news  to  all  the  world  that  could  hear  his  voice,  and 
•there  was  much  fluttering  of  small  wings  in  the  air. 

More  birds,  red,  green,  yellow  and  brown,  settled 

103 


THE    KEEPERS   OF    THE    TRAlIi 

upon  the  grass  and  began  to  pick  the  crumbs  eagerly. 
It  was  new  food,  but  they  found  it  good.  Nor  did  they 
pay  any  attention  to  the  great  figure  in  buckskin  dyed 
green  lying  so  near  and  so  still.  The  instinct  given  to 
them  in  place  of  reason,  which  warned  them  of  the 
presence  of  an  enemy,  gave  them  no  such  warning 
now,  because  there  was  none  against  which  they  could 
be  warned. 

Henry  always  believed  that  the  birds  felt  his  kinship 
that  morning,  or  perhaps  it  was  the  crumbs  that  drew 
them  to  a  friend  and  gave  them  hearts  without  fear. 
One  of  them,  perhaps  the  original  bold  explorer,  seek- 
ing vainly  for  another  crumb,  hopped  upon  his  bare 
hand  as  it  lay  in  the  grass,  but  feeling  its  warmth  flew 
away  a  foot,  hung  hovering  a  moment  or  two,  then 
came  back  and  took  a  peck. 

It  was  not  sufficient  to  hurt  Henry's  toughened  hand, 
and  exerting  the  great  strength  of  his  will  over  his  body 
he  continued  to  lie  perfectly  motionless.  The  bird,  sat- 
isfied that  this  food  was  beyond  his  powers,  stood  mo- 
tionless for  a  few  moments,  then  flapped  his  wings  two 
or  three  times  to  indicate  that  he  was  a  prince  and  an 
ornament  of  the  forest,  and  began  to  pour  forth  the 
fullest  and  deepest  song  that  Henry  had  yet  heard. 

It  gave  him  a  curious  thrill  as  the  bird,  perched  on 
his  hand,  and  extended  to  his  utmost,  sang  his  song. 
The  other  birds  having  finished  all  the  crumbs  stood 
chirping  and  twittering  in  the  grass.  Then,  as  if  by  a 
given  signal,  all  of  them,  including  the  one  on  Henry's 
hand,  united  in  a  single  volume  of  song  and  flew  up 
into  the  crevices  of  the  green  roof.    He  felt  that  a  sere- 

104 


THE    KING    WOLF 

nade  had  been  given  to  him,  one  that  few  human  kings 
ever  enjoyed.  The  httle  flying  people  of  the  forest  had 
united  to  do  him  honor,  and  he  v^-^as  pleased,  hugely 
pleased. 

They  were  hidden  from  him  now  in  the  green  leaves, 
but  where  the  sky  was  clear  he  saw  a  sudden  dark 
shadow  against  the  blue.  He  sprang  up  in  an  instant 
and  raised  his  rifle.  But  it  was  too  late  for  the  eagle 
to  stop.  The  heavy  figure  with  the  tearing  beak  and 
claws  swooped  downward,  and  there  was  silence  and 
terror  among  the  green  leaves.  But  before  the  eagle 
could  clutch  or  rend,  Henry's  rifle  spoke  with  unerring 
aim,  and  the  body  fell  to  the  ground  dead. 

He  was  sorry.  He  did  not  like  his  morning  party 
to  be  broken  up  in  such  a  manner,  and  for  his  guests 
to  be  disturbed  and  frightened.  Nor  was  it  wise  to  fire 
his  rifle  in  that  neighborhood.  But  he  had  acted  on 
an  impulse  that  he  did  not  regret.  He  looked  at  the 
beak  and  claws  of  the  dead  eagle  and  he  was  glad  that 
he  had  shot  him.  The  fierce  bird  had  broken  up  his 
forest  idyl,  and  knowing  that  he  could  stay  no  longer 
he  set  off  at  a  great  pace,  again  curving  about  in  a 
course  that  led  him  somewhat  toward  the  house  in  the 
cliff. 

He  crossed  several  trails  and  he  became  rather  anx- 
ious. Doubtless  they  were  made  by  hunters,  because 
the  Indians  while  they  remained  at  the  great  camp 
would  eat  prodigiously,  and  bands  would  be  con- 
tinually searching  the  forest  for  buffalo  and  deer.  It 
Vv'as  from  these  that  the  chief  danger  came.  He 
suspected   also   that   their   proximity   had   compelled 

105 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Shi f  less  Sol  and  the  others  to  keep  close  within  their 
little  shelter.  He  doubted  whether  he  could  reach 
them  that  day. 

The  need  of  rest  made  itself  felt  at  last,  and,  hiding 
his  trail,  he  crept  into  another  small  but  very  dense 
thicket.  He  felt  that  he  was  within  a  lair  and  his  kin- 
ship with  bird  and  beast  was  renewed.  No  w^olf  or 
bear  could  lie  snugger  in  its  den  than  he. 

He  put  his  rifle  by  his  side,  where  he  could  reach  it 
in  a  second,  and  was  soon  asleep.  A  prowling  bear 
came  into  the  far  edge  of  the  thicket,  sniffed  the  man- 
smell  and  went  away,  not  greatly  alarmed,  but  feeling 
that  it  was  better,  in  case  of  doubt,  to  avoid  the  cause 
of  the  doubt.  Two  Indians,  carrying  the  cloven  body 
of  a  deer,  passed  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the 
sleeping  youth,  but  they  saw  no  trail  and  went  on  to  the 
camp  with  the  spoils  of  the  hunt. 

Henry  slept  lightly,  but  a  long  time.  The  forest 
quality  was  still  strong  within  him.  Although  his  sleep 
had  all  its  restoring  power,  the  lightest  noise  in  the 
undergrowth  near  him  would  have  awakened  him.  But 
he  slept  on  through  the  morning,  and  into  the  after- 
noon. 

A  second  party  of  savage  hunters  passed,  five  men 
carrying  wild  turkeys,  and  they  too  did  not  dream  that 
the  enemy  whom  they  dreaded  so  much  lay  near.  They 
had  left  the  camp  only  that  morning,  and,  the  warriors 
arriving  from  the  river,  had  told  before  they  left  how 
they  had  been  pursued  all  through  the  night  by  one 
upon  whom  the  Evil  Spirit  had  descended.  Even  in 
the  day  they  would  have  avoided  this  being,  and  the 

io6 


THE    KING    WOLF 

old  medicine  men  who  were  in  the  camp  were  making" 
charms  to  drive  liim  away. 

It  was  the  most  brilHant  part  of  the  afternoon  now. 
Nevertheless  they  looked  with  a  tinge  of  superstitious 
terror  at  the  forests.  The  highly  imaginative  mind  of 
the  Indian,  clothes  nearly  all  things  with  personality, 
and  for  them  an  evil  wind  was  blowing.  The  events 
of  the  preceding  night  had  been  colored  and  enlarged 
by  those  who  told  them.  One  or  two  had  seen  the  form, 
gigantic  and  flaming-eyed,  that  had  hung  upon  their 
trail,  and  these  warriors,  fearing  that  they  too  might 
see  it,  and  in  the  open  day,  hung  close  as  they  bore  their 
load  of  turkeys  back  to  the  camp. 

Henry  did  not  awake  until  the  west  w^as  growling" 
dim,  and  then  after  the  fashion  of  the  borderers  he 
awoke  all  at  once,  that  is,  every  nerve  and  faculty  was 
alive  at  the  same  time.  Nothing  had  invaded  his  haunt 
in  the  brushwood.  His  keen  eyes  showed  him  at  once 
that  no  bush  had  been  displaced,  and,  with  his  rifle 
ready,  he  walked  out  into  the  opening. 

He  must  get  back  into  the  little  fortress  that  night. 
He  had  been  gone  so  long  that  Shif'less  Sol  and  the 
others,  although  having  the  utmost  confidence  in  his 
powers,  would  begin  to  worry  about  him.  Yet  he  knew 
that  it  was  unwnse  to  approach  the  place  until  night 
came.  Delay  was  all  the  more  necessary,  because  w^hile 
he  saw  on  the  northern  horizon  the  smoke  from  the 
great  camp,  he  saw  also  a  smaller  smoke  rising  from 
another  camp  nearer  their  fortress.  It  was  so  near,  in 
truth,  that  the  four  must  find  it  necessary  to  hide  close 
within  the  w^alls. 

107 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

The  second  smoke  aroused  Henry's  apprehension. 
Perhaps  a  portion  of  the  camp  had  been  moved  forward 
merely  to  be  nearer  water  or  for  some  kindred  reason, 
but  that  did  not  keep  it  from  being  nearer  the  stone 
fortress,  nor  from  impeding  his  entrance  into  it.  Yet 
he  beheved  that  he  could  slip  past.  His  skill  had  tri- 
umphed over  greater  tests. 

After  dark  he  began  his  journey,  buoyant  and  strong 
from  his  long  sleep,  and  continued  his  wide  circuit  in- 
tending to  approach  his  destination  from  the  west. 
Distance  did  not  amount  to  much  to  the  borderer,  and 
his  long,  easy  gait  carried  him  on,  mile  after  mile. 

It  was  another  night,  brilliant  with  moon  and  stars, 
and  Henry  w^as  able  to  see  the  larger  trail  of  smoke  still 
traced  on  the  northern  horizon.  His  sense  of  direction 
was  perfect,  but  he  looked  up  now,  and  then  at  the 
smoky  bar,  always  keeping  it  on  his  right,  and  three  or 
four  hours  after  sunset  he  began  to  curve  in  towards 
his  friends.  The  country  into  w^iich  he  had  come  was 
similar  in  character  to  that  wdiich  he  had  left,  heavy 
forest,  rolling  hills  and  many  creeks  and  brooks.  He 
had  never  been  in  that  immediate  region  before,  and 
he  judged  by  the  amount  of  game  springing  up  before 
him  that  it  had  not  been  visited  by  anybody  in  a  long 
time.  It  w^as  always  a  cause  of  wonder  to  him  that  a 
region  as  large  as  Kentucky,  four  fifths  the  size  of 
all  England,  should  be  totally  without  Indian  in- 
habitants. 

The  fact  that  Indians  from  the  North  and  Indians 
from  the  South  w^ere  said  to  fight  there  when  on  their 
hunting  expeditions,  and  that  hence  they  preferred  to 

1 08 


THE    KING    WOLF 

leave  it  as  a  barrier  or  neutral  ground,  did  not  wholly 
account  for  the  fact  to  him.  Farther  north  and  farther 
south  the  Indians  occupied  all  the  country  and  fought 
with  one  another,  but  in  this  beautiful  and  fertile  land 
there  was  no  village,  and  not  even  a  stray  lodge. 

He  had  often  asked  himself  the  reason,  and  while  he 
was  asking  it  he  came  to  a  long  low  mound,  covered 
with  trees  of  smaller  growth  than  those  in  the  surround- 
ing forest.  At  first  he  took  it  for  a  hill  just  like  the 
others,  but  its  shape  did  not  seem  natural,  and,  despite 
the  importance  of  time  he  looked  again,  and  once  more. 
Then  he  walked  a  little  way  up  the  mound  and  his  moc- 
casined  foot  struck  lightly  against  something  hard.  He 
stooped,  and  catching  hold  of  the  impediment  pulled 
from  the  earth  a  broken  piece  of  pottery. 

It  seemed  old,  very  old,  and  wishing  to  rest  a  little, 
Henry  sat  down  and  gazed  at  it.  The  Indians  of  the 
present  day  could  not  possibly  have  made  it,  and  it  was 
impossible  also  that  any  white  settler  or  hunter  could 
have  left  it  there.  He  dropped  the  fragment  and  rising, 
looked  farther,  finding  two  more  pieces  buried  almost 
to  the  edge,  but  which  his  strong  hands  pulled  out. 
They  seemed  to  him  of  the  same  general  workmanship 
as  the  others,  and  he  surmised  that  the  long  mound  upon 
which  he  w^as  standing  had  been  thrown  up  by  the  hand 
of  man. 

What  was  inside  the  mound  ?  Perhaps  the  skeletons 
of  men  dead  a  thousand  years  or  more,  men  more  civil- 
ized than  the  Indians,  but  gone  forever,  and  leaving  no 
trace,  save  some  broken  pieces  of  pottery.  Possibly  the 
Indians  themselves  had  destroyed  these  people,  and  they 

109 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

did  not  come  here  to  live  because  they  feared  the  ghosts 
of  the  slain.  But  it  was  no  question  that  he  could  solve. 
He  would  talk  about  it  later  with  Paul  and  meanwhile 
he  must  find  some  way  to  reach  the  others. 

He  threw  down  the  pottery  and  left  the  hill,  but,  as 
he  swung  swiftly  onward,  the  hill  and  its  contents  did 
not  disappear  from  his  mind.  He  had  a  strange  sense 
of  mystery.  The  new  land  about  him  might  be  an  old, 
old  land.  He  had  never  thought  of  it,  except  as  forest 
and  canebrake,  in  which  the  Indians  had  always 
roamed,  but  evidently  it  was  not  so.  It  was  strange 
that  races  could  disappear  completely. 

But  as  he  raced  on,  the  feeling  for  these  things  fell 
from  him.  He  was  not  so  much  for  the  past  as  Paul 
was.  He  was  essentially  of  the  present,  and,  dealing 
with  wild  men  in  a  wild  country,  he  was  again  a  wild 
man  himself.  Among  the  Indians  at  the  great  camp  or 
about  it  there  was  not  one  in  such  close  kinship  with 
the  forest  as  he.  Despite  danger  and  his  anxiety  to 
reach  his  comrades,  he  felt  all  its  beauty  and  majesty, 
in  truth  fairly  reveled  in  it. 

He  noticed  the  different  trees,  the  oaks,  the  elms,  the 
maples,  the  walnuts,  the  hickories,  the  sycamores,  the 
willows  at  the  edges  of  the  stream,  the  dogwoods,  and 
all  the  other  kinds  which  made  up  the  immeasurable 
forest.  They  were  in  the  early  but  full  foliage  of 
spring,  and  the  light  wind  brought  odors  that  were  like 
a  perfumed  breath. 

It  was  past  midnight,  when  he  stopped  to  enjoy  again 
the  fine  flavor  of  his  kingdom.  Then  he  suddenly  lay 
flat  among  the  dead  leaves  of  the  year  before,  and 

no 


THE    KING    WOLF 

thrust  forward  the  barrel  of  his  rifle.  He  had  heard 
a  footfall,  the  footfall  of  a  moccasin,  not  much  heav- 
ier than  the  fall  of  a  leaf,  and  every  nerve  and 
faculty  within  him  was  concentrated  to  meet  the  new 
danger. 

The  sound  had  come  from  his  right,  and  raising  his 
head  just  a  little  he  looked,  but  saw  nothing,  that  is 
nothing  new  in  the  waving  forest.  Yet  Henry  was 
sure  that  a  man  was  there.  His  ear  would  not  deceive 
him.  Doubtless  it  was  a  stray  hunter  or  scout  from 
the  bands,  and,  while  he  did  not  fear  him,  he  was  an- 
noyed by  the  delay.  It  might  keep  him  from  reaching 
his  comrades  that  night. 

He  waited  a  long  time,  using  all  the  patience  that  he 
had  learned,  and  he  began  to  believe  that  his  ear  after 
all  might  have  deceived  him.  Perhaps  it  had  been  mere- 
ly a  rabbit  in  the  undergrowth,  but  while  he  was 
debating  v/ith  himself  he  heard  a  faint  stir  in  the  bush, 
and  he  knew  that  it  was  made  by  a  man  seeking  a  new 
position. 

Then  his  intuition,  the  power  that  came  from  an 
extreme  development  of  the  five  senses,  reinforced  by 
will,  gave  him  an  idea.  Still  lying  on  his  back  he 
uttered  the  lonesome  howl  of  the  wolf,  but  very  low. 
He  waited  a  moment  or  two,  eager  to  know  if  his  in- 
tuition had  told  him  truly,  and  back  came  the  wolf's  low 
but  lone  cry.  He  gave  the  second  call  and  the  cry  of 
the  wolf  came  in  like  answer. 

Then  he  stood  up  with  rifle  at  trail  and  walked  boldly 
forward.  A  tall  figure,  rifle  also  at  trail,  emerged  from 
the  bush  and  advanced  to  meet  him.    Two  hands  met 

III 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

in  the  strong  clasp  of  those  who  had  shared  a  thou- 
sand dangers  and  who  had  never  failed  each  other. 

"I  thought  when  I  made  the  call  that  it  would  be 
you,  Sol,"  said  Henry. 

"An'  I  knowed  it  must  be  you,  Henry,"  said  the 
shiftless  one,  showing  his  double  row  of  shining  white 
teeth,  "  'cause  you're  the  only  one  in  the  woods  who 
kin  understan'  our  signals." 

"And  that  means  that  Paul,  Long  Jim  and  Tom  are 
safe  in  the  cave." 

"When  I  left  two  nights  ago,  hevin'  gone  back  thar 
after  we  separated,  they  wuz  safe,  but  whether  they  are 
now  I  can't  tell.  Decidin'  that  they  wuz  foulin'  the 
water  too  much,  part  o'  the  band  has  moved  up  to  a 
place  mighty  close  to  our  own  snug  house.  They  don't 
know  yet  that  the  hole  in  the  wall  is  thar,  but  ef  they 
stay  long  they're  boun'  to  run  acrost  it.  That's  why 
I've  come  out  lookin'  fur  you,  an'  mighty  glad  I  am 
that  I've  found  you.  I'd  a  notion  you'd  take  this  cir- 
cuit, after  doin'  all  the  deviltry  you've  done." 

The  shiftless  one's  mouth  parted  in  a  wide  grin  of 
admiration.  The  two  rows  of  white  teeth  shone 
brightly. 

"Henry,"  he  said,  "you're  shorely  the  wild  cata- 
mount o'  the  mountains." 

"Why?" 

"Well,  I'm  somethin'  o'  a  scout  an'  trailer,  ez  you 
know,  an'  that  ain't  no  boastin'.  I've  been  hangin' 
'roun'  the  Injun  camp,  an'  they're  terrible  stirred  up. 
An  evil  sperrit  has  been  doin'  'em  a  power  o'  harm 
an'  I  know  that  evil  sperrit  is  you.    Ef  it  wuzn't  fur 

11^ 


THE    laNG    WOLF 

them  cannon  on  which  they  build  such  big  hopes 
the  chiefs  would  take  all  their  warriors  and  go  home. 
But  the  white  men  are  urgin'  'em  on.  Henry, 
you're  shorely  the  king  o'  these  woods.  How'd  you 
stir  'em  up  so  ?" 

Henry  modestly  told  him  all  that  he  had  done,  and 
the  shiftless  one  chuckled  again  and  again,  as  proud  of 
his  comrade's  deeds  as  if  he  had  done  them  himself. 

*'But  the  Indians  will  march  against  Kentucky?"  said 
Henry.    "You  don't  doubt  that,  do  you?" 

''Yes,  they'll  go.  Hevin'  brought  the  cannon  so  fur 
they  won't  turn  back,  but  mebbe  we  kin  hold  'em  a  while 
longer.  There  are  tricks  an'  tricks,  an'  we  kin  work 
some  o'  'em." 

*'And  it's  our  object  to  stop  those  cannon.  Unless 
they  have  'em  we  can  beat  the  Indians  off  as  we  did 
last  year,  even  if  they  are  led  by  the  English." 

"So  we  kin,  Henry,  an'  we'll  git  them  gims  yet. 
Scoutin'  'roun'  thar  camp  I  learned  enough  to  know 
that  you've  broke  up  thar  plan  o'  tryin'  to  carry  'em 
part  o'  the  way  by  the  river.  You  must  hev  done 
mighty  slick  work  thar,  Henry.  The  warriors  are  plum' 
shore  now  that  river  is  ha'nted.  It's  all  the  way  through 
the  woods  now  fur  them  cannon,  an'  the  English  wnll 
hev  to  use  the  axes  most  o'  the  time." 

"Then  we'll  be  going  back  as  fast  as  we  can.  I  want 
to  tell  you  again,  Sol,  that  your  face  was  mighty  wel- 
come." 

"I  ain't  no  beauty,"  grinned  the  shiftless  one,  "but 
them  that's  bringin'  help  do  be  welcome  when  they 
come.     That's  the  reason  you  looked  so  pow'ful  well 

113 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

to  me,  Henry,  'cause  I  wuz  gettin'  mighty  lonesome, 
prowlin'  'roun'  in  these  woods  all  by  myself,  an'  no 
comp'ny  to  call,  'cept  them  that  would  roast  me  alive 
when  they'd  j'in  me." 

'The  cliff  is  straight  north,  isn't  it  ?" 

"Jest  about.  But  thar's  an  Injun  band  in  the  way. 
They're  jerkin'  a  lot  o'  venison  fur  the  main  camp,  but 
bein'  ez  you've  stirred  'em  up  so  they're  keepin'  a 
mighty  good  watch  too.  You  know  we  don't  want  no 
fights,  we  jest  want  to  travel  on  ez  peaceful  ez  runnin' 
water." 

"That's  so,  Sol,  but  it  means  a  much  farther  curve 
to  the  west." 

"Then  we've  got  to  take  it.  It  ain't  hard  for  you  an' 
me.  We've  got  steel  wire  for  muscles  in  our  legs,  and 
the  night  is  clear,  cool  an'  life-givin'.  Paul  hez  talked 
'bout  parks  in  the  Old  World,  but  we've  got  here  a  big- 
ger an'  finer  park  than  any  in  Europe  or  Asyer,  or  fur 
that  matter  than  Afriker  or  that  new  continent,  Aus- 
tralyer.  An'  thar  ain't  any  other  park  that  hez  got  so 
many  trees  in  it  ez  ourn,  or  ez  much  big  game  all  fur 
the  takin'.  Now  lead  on,  Henry,  an'  we'll  go  to  our 
new  home." 

"No,  you  lead,  Sol.  I've  been  on  a  big  strain,  an' 
I'd  like  to  follow  for  a  while." 

"O'  course  you  would,  you  poor  little  peaked  thing. 
I  ought  to  hev  thought  o'  that  when  I  spoke.  Never  out 
in  the  woods  afore  by  hisself  an'  nigh  scared  to  death 
by  the  trees  an'  the  dark.  But  jest  you  come  on.  I'll 
lead  you  an'  I  won't  let  no  squirrel  or  rabbit  hurt  you 
neither." 

114 


THE    KING    WOLF 

Henry  laughed.  The  humor  and  unction  of  the 
shiftless  one  always  amused  him. 

''Go  ahead,  Sol,"  he  said,  "and  I'll  promise  to  keep 
close  behind  you,  where  nothing  will  harm  me." 

Thus  they  set  off,  Sol  in  front  and  Henry  five  feet 
away,  treading  in  his  footsteps. 

"There  wuz  a  time  when  Fd  hev  been  afraid  o'  the 
dark,"  said  Shif'less  Sol,  whose  conversational  powers 
were  great.  "YouVe  been  to  the  Big  Bone  Lick,  an* 
so  hev  I,  an'  we've  seen  the  bones  o'  the  monsters  that 
roamed  the  earth  afore  the  flood,  a  long  time  afore.  I 
wouldn't  hev  believed  that  such  critters  ever  tramped 
around  our  globe  ef  I  hadn't  seen  their  bones.  I  come 
acrost  a  little  salt  lick  last  night — we  may  see  it  in 
passin'  afore  mornin' — but  thar  wuz  big  bones  'roun' 
it  too.  I  measured  myself  by  'em  an'  geewhillikins, 
Henry,  what  critters  them  waiz!  Ef  I'd  been  caught 
out  o'  my  cave  after  night  an'  one  o'  them  things  got 
after  me  I'd  hev  been  so  skeered  that  I'd  hev  dropped 
my  stone  club  'cause  my  hands  trembled  so,  my  teeth 
w^ould  hev  rattled  together  in  reg'lar  tunes,  an'  I'd  hev 
run  so  fast  that  I'd  only  hev  touched  the  tops  o'  the 
hills,  skippin'  all  the  low  ones  too,  an'  by  the  time  I 
reached  the  mouth  o'  my  cave,  I'd  be  goin'  so  swift  that 
I'd  run  clear  out  o'  my  clothes,  leavin'  'em  fur  the 
monster  to  trample  on  an'  then  chaw  up,  me  all  the 
while  settin'  inside  the  cave  safe,  but  tremblin'  all  over, 
an'  with  no  appetite.  Them  shore  wuz  lively  times  fur 
our  race,  Henry,  an'  I  guess  w^e  did  a  pow'ful  lot  o' 
runnin'  an'  hidin'." 

"It  was  certainly  time  to  run,  Sol,  when  a  tiger  eight 

115 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

feet  high  and  fifteen  feet  long  got  after  you,  or  a  mam- 
moth or  a  mastodon  twenty  feet  high  and  fifty  feet  long 
was  feeling  around  in  the  bushes  for  you  with  a  trunk 
that  could  pick  you  up  and  throw  you  a  mile." 

"Henry,  ef  we  wuzn't  in  a  hurry  I'd  stop  here  an' 
give  thanks." 
"What  for?" 

"  'Cause  I  didn't  live  in  them  times,  w^hen  the  beast 
wuz  bigger  an'  mightier  than  the  man.  I  guess  stone 
caves  that  run  back  into  mountains  'bout  a  mile  wuz 
the  most  pop'lar  an'  high-priced.  Guess  those  boys  an' 
gals  didn't  go  out  much  an'  dance  on  the  green,  ez  they 
do  back  East.  I'd  a  heap  ruther  hunt  the  buff'ler  than 
that  fifteen  foot  tiger  o'  yours,  Henry." 

"So  had  I,  Sol.  If  those  beasts  w^ere  living  nowa- 
days we  wouldn't  be  roaming  through  the  forest  as  we 
are  now.    We  have  only  the  Indians  to  fear." 

"An'  thar's  a  lot  about  them  to  be  afeard  of  at  times, 
ez  you  an'  me  know,  Henry." 

"If  w^e  keep  on  this  curve,  Sol,  about  what  time  do 
you  think  we  ought  to  reach  the  boys  ?" 

"Afore  moonrise,  jest  about  when  the  night  is  dark- 
est, 'less  somethin'  gits  in  the  way.  Here's  another 
branch,  Henry.  Guess  we'd  better  wade  in  it  a  right 
smart  distance.  You  can't  ever  be  too  keerful  about 
your  trail." 

The  branch,  or  brook,  as  it  would  have  been  called 
in  older  communities,  w^as  rather  wide,  about  six  inches 
deep  and  flowing  over  a  smooth,  gravelly  bed.  It  was 
flowing  in  the  general  direction  in  which  they  wished 
to  go,  and  they  walked  in  the  stream  a  full  half  mile. 

ii6 


THE    KING    WOLF 

Then  they  emerged  upon  the  bank,  careless  of  wet  feet 
and  wet  ankles,  which  they  knew  would  soon  dry  under 
severe  exercise,  and  continued  their  swift  journey. 

The  curiosity  of  the  shiftless  one  about  the  primeval 
world  had  passed  for  the  time,  and  like  Henry  he  was 
concentrating  all  his  energy  and  attention  upon  the 
present,  which  was  full  enough  of  work  and  danger. 
He  and  the  young  Hercules  together  made  a  matchless 
pair.  He  w^as  second  only  to  Henry  in  the  skill  and  lore 
of  the  wilderness.  He  was  a  true  son  of  the  forest,  and, 
though  uneducated  in  the  bookish  sense,  he  w^as  so  full 
of  wiles  and  cunning  that  he  was  the  Ulysses  of  the  five, 
and  as  such  his  fame  had  spread  along  the  whole 
border,  and  among  the  Indian  tribes.  Hidden  per- 
haps by  his  lazy  manner,  but  underneath  that  yellow 
thatch  of  his  the  shiftless  one  was  a  thinker,  a  deep 
thinker,  and  a  nobler  thinker  than  the  one  who  sat 
before  Troy  town,  because  his  thoughts  were  to  save 
the  defenseless- 

"Henry,"  he  said,  "we're  followed." 

Henry  glanced  back,  and  in  the  moonlit  dusk  he 
saw  a  score  of  forms,  enlarged  in  the  shadows,  their 
eyes  red  and  their  teeth  bare. 

"A  wolf  pack!"  he  exclaimed. 

"Shore  ez  you  live,"  replied  the  shiftless  one. 
"Reckon  they've  been  follerin'  us  ever  since  we  left 
the  branch.  Mebbe  they  never  saw  men  afore  an' 
don't  know  nothin'  'bout  guns  that  kill  at  a  distance, 
an'  ag'in  mebbe  they've  been  driv  off  thar  huntin' 
grounds  by  the  warriors,  an'  think  w^e  kin  take  the 
place  o'  their  reg'lar  game." 

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THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"Anyway  I  don't  like  it." 

"Neither  do  I.  Look  at  that  old  fellow  in  the  lead. 
Guess  he's  called  a  giant  among  'em.  I  kin  see  the 
slaver  fallin'  from  his  mouth.  He's  thinkin'  o'  you, 
Henry,  'cause  there's  more  meat  on  you  than  there 
is  on  me." 

"I  don't  know  about  that.  You'd  make  a  fine  dish 
for  the  table  of  the  wolf  king.  Roasted  and  served 
up  whole  they'd  save  you  for  the  juicy  finish,  the  last 
gorgeous  touch  to  the  feast." 

"Don't  talk  that  way,  Henry.  You  make  me 
shiver  all  over.  I  ain't  afeard  o'  a  wolf,  but  ef  I 
didn't  hev  a  rifle,  an'  you  wuzn't  with  me,  I'd  be 
plum'  skeered  at  them  twenty  back  thar,  follerin'  us 
lookin'  at  us  an'  slaverin'." 

The  shiftless  one  shook  his  fist  at  the  king  wolf,  an 
enormous  beast,  the  largest  that  they  had  ever  seen 
in  Kentucky.  The  whole  troop  was  following  them, 
their  light  feet  making  no  noise  in  the  grass  and 
leaves,  but  their  red  eyes  and  white  teeth  always 
gleaming  in  the  moonlight.  They  were  showing  an 
uncommon  daring.  Lone  hunters  had  been  killed  and 
eaten  in  the  winter  by  starving  wolves,  but  it  was 
seldom  that  two  men  in  the  spring  were  followed  in 
such  a  manner.  It  became  weird,  uncanny  and 
ominous. 

"I  know  what's  happened,"  said  the  shiftless  one 
suddenly.    "I  kin  tell  you  why  they  follow  us  so  bold." 

"What's  the  reason,  Sol?" 

"You  know  all  them  'normous  tigers  and  hijeous 
monsters  we've  been  talkin'  'bout,  that's  been  dead  a 

Ii8 


THE    KING    WOLF 

hundred  thousan'  years.  Thar  souls  comin*  down 
through  other  animals  hev  gone  straight  into  our  pack 
o'  wolves  thar.  They  ain't  wolves  really.  They're 
big  tigers  an'  mammoths  an'  secli  like." 

'T'm  not  disputing  what  you  say,  Sol,  because  I 
don't  know  anything  about  it,  but  if  it  wasn't  for 
raising  an  alarm  I'd  shoot  that  king  wolf  there,  who 
is  following  us  so  close.  I  can  tell  by  his  eyes  that 
he  expects  to  eat  us  both." 

"What  kind  o'  tigers  wuz  it  that  Paul  said  lived 
long  ago,  an'  growed  so  monstrous  big?" 

"Saber-toothed." 

'Then  that  king  wolf  back  thar  wuz  the  king  o* 
the  saber-toothed  tigers  in  his  time.  He  wuz  twelve 
feet  high  and  twenty-five  feet  long  an'  he  could  carry 
off  on  his  shoulder  the  biggest  bull  buffaler  that  ever 
wuz,  an'  eat  him  at  a  meal." 

"That  would  have  been  a  good  deal  of  a  dinner, 
even  for  an  emperor  among  saber-toothed  tigers." 

"But  I'm  right  about  that  wolf,  Henry.  I  kin  see 
it  in  his  eye,  an'  them  behind  him  are  nigh  ez  bad. 
They  wuz  all  saber-toothed  tigers  in  thar  time.  I 
reckon  that  in  thar  wolf  souls  or  tiger  souls,  which- 
ever they  be,  they  expect  to  eat  us  afore  day.  I'd  like 
pow'ful  well  to  put  a  bullet  atween  the  eyes  o'  thar 
king — jest  ez  you  said  you  w^ould,  Henry." 

"But  it's  not  to  be  thought  of.  Sound  would  travel 
far  on  a  still  night  like  this,  and  the  warriors  might 
be  within  hearing.  It's  hard  on  the  nerves,  but  we've 
got  to  stand  it." 

They  hoped  that  the  wolves  would  drop  the  trail 

119 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

soon,  but  their  wish  did  not  come  true.  However 
they  twisted  and  turned,  whether  they  went  slow  or 
fast,  the  sinister  pack  was  always  there,  the  king  wolf 
a  foot  or  so  in  advance,  like  the  point  to  the  head  of 
an  arrow.  Often  the  flickering  shadows  exaggerated 
him  to  twice  his  usual  size,  and  then  in  truth  he  sug- 
gested his  saber-toothed  predecessor  of  long,  long  ago. 

"This  is  becomin'  pow'ful  w'arin*  to  the  nerves, 
Henry,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  "I'd  ruther  hev  a 
clean  fight  with  a  half-dozen  warriors  than  be  follered 
this  way.  It  teches  my  pride.  I've  got  a  mighty  lot 
o'  pride,  an'  it  hurts  me  awful  to  hev  my  pride  hurt." 

"Because  we  don't  shoot  or  do  anything  I  think 
they've  assumed  that  we're  powerless  to  fight.  Still, 
there  is  something  about  the  human  odor  that  deters 
'em." 

"S'pose  you're  right,  but  I'm  goin'  to  try  a  trick. 
When  you  see  me  stumble,  Henry,  you  go  right  on, 
till  I'm  eight  or  ten  feet  behind  you." 

"All  right,  Sol,  but  don't  stumble  too  much." 

"I  ain't  likely  to  do  it  at  sech  a  time.  Look  out, 
now!    Here  I  stumble!" 

He  caught  his  foot  in  a  root,  plunged  forward,  al- 
most fell,  recovered  his  balance  slowly  and  with 
apparent  difficulty.  Henry  ran  on,  but  in  a  half  minute 
he  turned  quickly.  With  a  horrible  snarl  and  yelp 
the  king  wolf  sprang,  and  the  others  behind  him 
sprang  also.  Henry's  rifle  leaped  to  his  shoulder,  and 
then  the  king  wolf  jumped  away,  the  others  following 
him. 

The  shiftless  one  rejoined  Henry  and  they  ran  a 

120 


"He  caught  his  foot  in  a  root,  plunged  forward" 


THE    KING    WOLF 

little  faster.  His  face  was  pale  and  one  or  two  drops 
of  perspiration  fell  from  it.  His  breath  was  longer 
than  mere  flight  would  make  it. 

"I  ain't  goin'  to  try  that  ag'in,  Henry,"  he  said. 
"No  more  foolin'  with  sudden  death.  He's  shorely 
the  big  tiger,  the  biggest  o'  them  all  that  wuz.  Why, 
when  I  stumbled  he  leaped  like  lightnin'.  I  didn't 
think  anythin',  not  even  a  wolf,  could  be  so  quick." 

"The  rifle  frightened  them  off.  They  didn't  know 
what  it  was,  but  they  were  afraid  it  had  something  to 
do  with  wounds  and  death.  Still,  they're  running  a 
little  closer  to  us  than  they  were.  That's  about  all 
that's  come  of  your  experiment,  Sol." 

"I  ain't  goin'  to  try  it  over  ag'in,  Henry,  but  it 
shorely  begins  to  look  ez  ef  we'd  hev  to  use  the  bullets 
on  'em.     I  don't  think  anythin'  else  will  stop  'em." 

"A  little  while  longer,  Sol,  and  they  may  abandon 
the  chase.  We  must  hold  our  fire  just  as  long  as  pos- 
sible. A  shot  may  bring  a  cloud  of  the  red  hornets 
about  us." 

The  shiftless  one  was  silent.  He  knew  as  well  as 
Henry  that  a  shot  was  unwise.  They  were  bearing 
back  now  toward  the  stone  fortress  and  the  Indian 
camps,  and  the  forests  near  might  be  full  of  warriors. 
Yet  it  was  a  tremendous  strain  upon  one's  nerves  to 
be  follow^ed  in  such  a  manner.  The  wolves  had  come 
so  close  now  that  they  could  hear  the  light  pad  of 
their  feet.  Once  Shi  f 'less  Sol  picked  up  a  stone  and 
hurled  it  at  the  king  wolf.  The  great  shaggy  beast 
leaped  aside,  but  it  struck  a  wolf  behind  him,  drawing 
an  angry  snarl,  in  which  all  the  wolves  joined. 

121 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Henry  felt  relief  when  they  gave  tongue,  although 
the  snarl  was  not  loud.  Hitherto  they  had  pursued 
in  total  silence,  which  he  had  deemed  unnatural  and 
that  angry  yelp  made  them  real  wolves  of  the  forest 
again. 

"About  how  far  would  you  say  it  is  now  to  the 
cave?"  he  asked  the  shiftless  one. 

"Three  or  four  miles,  but  with  our  lope  it  won't  take 
us  long  to  cover  it.  What  hev  you  got  in  mind, 
Henry?" 

"I  think  we've  got  to  kill  the  king  wolf.  I  didn't 
think  so  a  little  while  ago,  but  they  follow  us  hoping 
that  some  accident,  a  fall  perhaps,  will  make  us  their 
prey." 

"Do  it  then,  Henry,  an'  take  all  the  chances.  I'm 
growin'  mighty  tired  o'  bein'  follered  by  wolves  that 
are  re'ly  tigers.  After  you  shoot,  we'll  turn  to  the 
left  an'  run  ez  hard  ez  we  kin." 

Henry  whirled  suddenly  about  and  raised  his  rifle. 
The  king  wolf,  as  if  divining  his  purpose,  sheered  to 
one  side,  but  he  was  confronting  the  deadliest  marks- 
man in  the  woods.  The  muzzle  of  Henry's  rifle  fol- 
lowed him,  and  when  he  pulled  the  trigger  the  bullet 
crashed  through  the  great  beast's  skull. 

When  the  king  wolf  fell  dead  the  others  stopped, 
stricken  with  terror,  but  from  a  point  to  the  east  came 
the  long  thrilling  note  of  the  war  whoop.  The  war- 
riors had  heard  the  shot,  and,  knowing  they  would 
come  swiftly  to  its  sound,  Henry  and  the  shiftless  one, 
turning  due  west,  ran  with  amazing  speed  through 
the  forest. 

122 


CHAPTER   VII 


THE  FOREST  POETS 


H 


ENRY  and  the  shiftless  one  knew  that  they  had 
drawn  danger  upon  themselves,  but  they  had 
nothing  to  regret.  The  pursuit  by  the  wolves 
had  become  intolerable.  In  time  it  was  bound  to 
unsettle  their  nerves,  and  it  was  better  to  take  the  risk 
from  the  warriors. 

"How  far  away  would  you  say  that  war  whoop 
was?"  asked  Henry. 

"  'Bout  a  quarter  o'  a  mile  but  it'll  take  'em  some 
little  time  to  find  our  trail.  An'  ef  you  an'  me,  Henry, 
can't  leave  'em,  ez  ef  they  wuz  standin',  then  we  ain't 
what  we  used  to  be." 

Presently  they  heard  the  war  cry  a  second  time, 
although  its  note  was  fainter. 

"Hit  our  trail !"  said  the  shiftless  one. 

"But  they  can  never  overtake  us  in  the  night,"  said 
Henry.  "We've  come  to  stony  ground  now,  and  the 
best  trailers  in  the  world  couldn't  follow  you  and  me 
over  it." 

"No,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  with  some  pride  in  his 
voice.     "We're  not  to  be  took  that  way,  but  that  band 

123 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

an'  mebbe  more  are  in  atween  us  an'  our  fine  house 
in  the  cHff,  an'  we  won't  get  to  crawl  in  our  Httle  beds 
tonight.     It  ain't  to  be  risked,  Henry." 

"That's  so.  We  seem  to  be  driven  in  a  circle 
around  the  place  to  which  we  want  to  go,  but  we  can 
afford  to  wait  as  well  as  the  Indian  army  can,  and 
better.  Here's  another  branch  and  we'd  better  use  it 
to  throw  that  band  off  the  trail." 

They  waded  in  the  pebbly  bed  of  the  brook  for  a 
long  distance.  Then  they  walked  on  stones,  leaping 
lightly  from  one  to  another,  and,  when  they  came  to 
the  forest,  thick  with  grapevines  they  would  often 
swing  from  vine  to  vine  over  long  spaces.  Both  found 
an  odd  pleasure  in  their  flight.  They  were  matching 
the  Indian  at  his  tricks,  and  when  pushed  they  could 
do  even  better.  They  knew  that  the  trail  was  broken 
beyond  the  hope  of  recovery,  and,  late  in  the  night, 
after  passing  through  hilly  country,  they  sat  down 
to  rest. 

They  were  on  the  slope  of  the  last  hill,  sitting  under 
the  foliage  of  an  oak,  and  before  them  lay  a  wide 
valley,  in  which  the  trees,  mostly  oaks,  were  scattered 
as  if  they  grew  in  a  great  park.  But  the  grass  every- 
where was  thick  and  tall,  and  down  the  center  flowed 
a  swift  creek  which  in  the  moonlieht  looked  like 
molten  silver.  The  uncommon  brightness  of  the  night, 
with  its  gorgeous  clusters  of  stars,  disclosed  the  full 
beauty  of  the  valley,  and  the  two  fugitives  Vvho  were 
fugitives  no  longer  felt  it  intensely.  Henry  was  an 
educated  youth  of  an  educated  stock,  and  Shif'less 
Sol,  the  forest  runner,   was   born  with  a   love  and 

124 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

admiration  in  his  soul  of  Nature  in  all  its  aspects. 

''Don't  it  look  fine,  Henry?"  said  the  shiftless  one. 
''Ef  I  hed  to  sleep  in  a  house  all  the  time,  which, 
thanks  be,  I  don't  hev  to  do,  I'd  build  me  a  cabin  right 
here  in  this  little  valley.  Ain't  it  jest  the  nicest  place 
you  ever  saw?  Unless  I've  mistook  my  guess,  that's 
a  lot  o'  buff'ler  lyin'  down  in  the  grass  in  front  o'  us." 

"Eight  of  'em.  I  can  count  'em,"  said  Henry,  ''but 
they're  safe  from  us." 

"I  w^ouldn't  fire  on  'em,  not  even  ef  thar  wuzn't  a 
warrior  within  a  hundred  miles  o'  us.  I  don't  feel 
like  shootin'  at  anythin'  jest  now,  Henry." 

"It's  the  valley  that  makes  you  feel  so  peaceful. 
It  has  the  same  effect  on  me." 

"I  think  I  kin  see  wild  flowers  down  thar  bloomin' 
among  the  bushes,  an'  ain't  that  grass  an'  them  trees 
fine?  an'  that  is  shorely  the  best  creek  I've  seen.  Its 
water  is  so  pure  it  looks  like  silver.  I've  a  notion, 
Henry,  that  this  wuz  the  Garden  o'  Eden." 

"That's  an  odd  idea  of  yours,  Sol.  How  can  you 
prove  it's  so?" 

"An'  how  can  you  prove  it  ain't  so?  An'  so  we're 
back  whar  we  started.  Besides,  I  kin  pile  up  evidence. 
All  along  the  edge  o'  the  valley  are  briers  an'  vines, 
on  which  the  berries  growed.  Then  too  thar  are  lots 
o'  grapevines  on  the  trees  ez  you  kin  see,  an'  thar  are 
your  grapes.  An*  up  toward  the  end  are  lots  o'  hick'ry 
an'  walnut  trees  an'  thar  are  your  nuts,  an'  ef  Adam 
an'  Eve  wuz  hard-pushed,  they  could  ketch  plenty  o' 
fine  fish  in  that  creek  which  I  kin  see  is  deep.  In  the 
winter  they  could  hev  made  themselves  a  cabin  easy, 

125 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

up  thar  whar  the  trees  are  thick.    An'  the  whole  place 
in  the  spring  is  full  o'  wild  flowers,  which  Eve  must 
hev  stuck  her  hair  full  of  to  please  Adam.    The  more 
I  think  o'  it,  Henry,  the  shorer  I  am  that  this  wuz   ^  i 
the  Garden." 

The  shiftless  one's  face  was  rapt  and  serious.  In 
the  burnished  silver  of  the  moonlight  the  little  valley 
had  a  beauty,  dreamlike  in  its  quality.  In  that  land  so 
truly  named  the  Dark  and  Bloody  Ground  it  seemed 
the  abode  of  unbroken  peace. 

''I  reckon,"  said  Shif'less  Sol,  ''that  after  the  fall 
Adam  an'  Eve  left  by  that  rift  between  the  hills,  an' 
thar  the  Angel  stood  with  the  Flamin'  Sword  to  keep 
'em  out.  O'  course  they  might  hev  crawled  back 
down  the  hillside  here,  an'  in  other  places,  but  I  guess 
they  wuz  afeard.  It's  hard  to  hev  had  a  fine  thing  an' 
then  to  hev  lost  it,  harder  than  never  to  hev  had  it  or 
to  hev  knowed  w^hat  it  wuz.  I  guess,  Henry,  that 
Adam  an'  Eve  came  often  to  the  hills  here  an'  looked 
down  at  their  old  home,  till  they  wuz  skeered  away  by 
the  flamin'  o'  the  Angel's  sword." 

''But  there's  nothing  now  to  keep  us  out  of  it. 
We'll  go  down  there,  Sol,  because  it  is  a  garden  after 
all,  a  wilderness  garden,  and  nothing  but  Indians  can 
drive  us  from  it  until  we  want  to  go." 

"All  right,  Henry.  You  lead  on  now,  but  remember 
that  since  Adam  an'  Eve  hev  gone  away  this  is  my 
Garden  o'  Eden.  It's  shore  a  purty  sight,  now  that 
it's  beginnin'  to  whiten  with  the  day." 

Dawn  in  truth  was  silvering  the  valley,  and  in  the 
clear  pure  light  it  stood  forth  in  all  its  beauty  and 

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f 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

peace.  It  was  filled,  too,  with  life.  Besides  the  buf- 
faloes they  saw  deer,  elk,  swarming  small  game,  and 
an  immense  number  of  singing  birds.  The  morning 
was  alive  with  their  song  and  when  they  came  to  the 
deep  creek,  and  saw  a  fish  leap  up  now  and  then,  the 
shiftless  one  no  longer  had  the  slightest  doubt. 

"It's  shorely  the  Garden,"  he  said.  ''Listen  to  them 
birds,  Henry.  Did  you  ever  hear  so  many  at  one  time 
afore,  all  singin'  together  ez  ef  every  one  wuz  tryin' 
•  to  beat  every  other  one?" 

"No,  Sol,  I  haven't.  It  is  certainly  a  beautiful 
place.     Look  at  the  beds  of  wild  flowers  in  bloom." 

"An'  the  game  is  so  tame  it  ain't  skeered  at  us  a 
bit.  I  reckon,  Llenry,  that  'till  we  came  no  human 
foot  hez  ever  trod  this  valley,  since  Adam  an'  Eve 
had  to  go.'' 

"Maybe  not,  Sol!  IMaybe  not,"  said  Henry,  trying 
to  smile  at  the  shiftless  one's  fancy,  but  failing. 

"An'  thar's  one  thing  I  want  to  ask  o'  you,  Henry. 
Thar's  millions  an'  millions  an'  billions  an'  billions  o' 
acres  in  this  country  that  belong  to  nobody,  but  I 
want  to  put  in  a  sort  o'  claim  o'  my  own  on  the  Gar- 
den o'  Eden  here.  Thar  are  times  when  every  man 
likes  to  be  all  by  hisself,  fur  a  while.  You  know  how 
it  is  yourself,  Henry.  Jest  rec'lect  then  that  the 
Garden  is  mine.  When  I'm  feelin'  bad,  which  ain't 
often,  I'll  come  here  an'  set  down  'mong  the  flowers, 
an'  hear  all  them  birds  sing,  same  ez  Adam  an'  Eve 
heard  'em,  an'  d'rectly  I'll  feel  glad  an'  strong  ag'in." 

"Where  there's  so  much  unused  country  you  ask 
but  little,  Sol.     It's  your  Garden  of  Eden.    But  you'll 

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THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

let  the  rest  of  us  come  into  it  sometimes,  won't  you?" 
"Shorely!  Shorely!  I  didn't  mean  to  be  selfish 
about  it.  IVe  got  some  venison  in  my  knapsack, 
Henry,  an'  I  reckon  you  hev  some  too.  I'd  Hke  to  hev 
it  warm,  but  it's  too  dangerous  to  build  a  fire.  S'pose 
we  set,  an'  eat." 

The  soil  of  the  valley  was  so  fertile  that  the  grass 
was  already  high  enough  to  hide  them,  when  they  lay 
down  near  the  edge  of  the  creek.  There  they  ate  their 
venison  and  listened  to  the  musical  tinkle  of  the  rush- 
ing water,  while  the  sun  rose  higher,  and  turned  the 
luminous  silver  of  the  valley  into  luminous  gold.  They 
heard  light  footfalls  of  the  deer  moving,  and  the 
birds  sang  on,  but  there  was  no  human  sound  in  the 
valley.  Their  great  adventure,  the  Indian  camp,  and 
the  manifold  dangers  seemed  to  float  away  for  the 
time.  If  it  was  not  the  Garden  of  Eden  it  was  an- 
other garden  of  the  same  kind,  and  it  looked  very 
beautiful  to  these  two  who  had  spent  most  of  the  night 
running  for  their  lives.  They  were  happy,  as  they  ate 
venison  and  the  last  crumbs  of  their  bread. 

"If  the  others  wuz  here,"  said  Shif'less  Sol, 
"nothin'  would  be  lackin'.  I'm  in  love  with  the  wil- 
derness more  an'  more  every  year,  Henry.  One  reason 
is  'cause  I'm  always  comin'  on  somethin'  new.  I  ain't 
no  tied-down  man.  Here  I've  dropped  into  the  Gar- 
den o'  Eden  that's  been  lost  fur  thousands  o'  years, 
an'  tomorrow  I  may  be  findin'  some  other  wonder.  I 
rec'lect  my  feelin'  the  first  time  I  saw  the  Ohio,  an' 
I've  looked  too  upon  the  big  river  that  the  warriors 
call  the  Father  o'  Waters.     I'm  always  findin'  some 

128 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

new  river  or  creek  or  lake.  Nothin's  old,  or  all  trod 
up  or  worn  out.  Some  day  Tin  goin'  way  out  on 
them  plains  that  you've  seed,  Henry,  where  the  huf- 
fier are  passin'  millions  strong-.  I  tell  you  I  love  to 
go  with  the  wind,  an'  at  night,  when  I  ain't  quite 
asleep,  to  hear  it  blowin'  an'  blowin',  an'  tellin'  me 
that  the  things  I've  found  already  may  be  fine,  but 
thar's  finer  yet  farther  on.  I  hear  Paul  talkin'  'bout 
the  Old  World,  but  thar  can't  be  any  thin*  in  it  half  ez 
fine  ez  all  these  woods  in  the  fall,  jest  blazin'  with  red 
an'  yellow,  an'  gold  an'  brow^n,  an'  the  air  sparklin' 
enough  to  make  an  old  man  young." 

The  face  of  the  shiftless  one  glowed  as  he  spoke. 
Every  word  he  said  came  straight  from  his  heart  and 
Henry  shared  in  his  fervor.  The  wild  men  who  slew 
and  scalped  could  not  spoil  his  world.  He  had  finished 
his  venison,  and,  drinking  cold  water  at  the  edge  of 
the  creek,  he  came  back  and  lay  down  again  in  the 
long  grass. 

"Perhaps  we'd  better  stay  here  the  most  of  the 
day,"  said  Henry.  "The  valley  seems  to  be  out  of  the 
Indian  line  of  march.  The  buffaloes  are  over  there 
grazing  peacefully,  and  I  can  see  does  at  the  edge  of 
the  woods.  If  warriors  were  near  they  wouldn't  be 
so  peaceful." 

"And  there  are  the  wild  turkeys  gobblin'  in  the 
trees,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "I  like  w'ild  turkey  mighty 
well,  but  even  ef  thar  wuz  no  fear  o'  alarm  I  wouldn't 
shoot  any  one  in  my  Garden  o'  Eden." 

"Nor  I  either,  Sol.  I'm  beginning  to  like  this 
valley  as  well  as  you  do.    Your  claim  to  it  stands  good, 

129 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

but  when  we're  on  our  hunting  expeditions  up  this 
way  again  the  five  of  us  will  come  here  and  camp." 

*'But  we'll  kill  our  game  outside.  I've  a  notion 
that  I  don't  want  to  shoot  anythin'  in  here." 

"I  understand  you.  It's  too  fine  a  place  to  have 
blood  flowing  in  it." 

"That's  jest  the  way  I  feel  about  it,  Henry.  You 
may  laugh  at  me  fur  bein'  a  fool,  but  the  notion  sticks 
to  me  hard  an'  fast." 

"I'm  not  laughing  at  you.  If  you'll  raise  up  a 
little,  Sol,  you  can  see  the  smoke  of  the  main  Indian 
campfire  off  there  toward  the  northeast.  It  looks  like 
a  thread  from  here,  and  it's  at  least  five  miles  away." 

"It's  a  big  smoke,  then,  or  we  wouldn't  see  it  at 
all,  'cause  we  can't  make  out  that  o'  the  smaller  one 
nearer  to  the  cave,  though  I  reckon  it's  still  thar." 

"Perhaps  so,  and  the  warriors  may  come  this  way, 
but  we'll  see  'em  and  hear  'em  first.  Look,  Sol,  those 
buffaloes,  in  their  grazing,  are  coming  straight  toward 
us.  The  wind  has  certainly  carried  to  them  our  odor, 
but  they  don't  seem  to  be  alarmed  by  it." 

"Jest  another  proof,  Henry,  that  it's  the  real  Gar- 
den o'  Eden.  Them  buff'ler  haven't  seen  or  smelt 
a  human  bein'  since  Adam  an'  Eve  left,  an'  ez  that 
wuz  a  long  time  ago  they've  got  over  any  feelin'  o' 
fear  o'  people,  ef  they  ever  had  it.  Look  at  them 
deer,  too,  over  thar,  loafin'  'long  through  the  high 
grass,  an'  not  skeered  o'  anythin'.  An'  the  wolves 
that  follered  us  last  night  don't  come  here.  Thar 
ain't  a  sign  o'  a  wolf  ever  hevin'  been  in  the  valley." 

Henry  laughed,  but  there  was  no  trace  of  irony  in 

130 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

the  laugh.  The  shiftless  one's  vivid  fancy  or  belief 
pleased  him.  It  was  possible,  too,  that  Indians  would 
not  come  there.  It  might  be  some  sacred  place  of 
the  old  forgotten  people  who  had  built  the  mounds 
and  who  had  been  exterminated  by  the  Indians.  But 
the  Indians  were  full  of  superstition,  and  often  they 
feared  and  respected  the  sacred  places  of  those  whom 
they  had  slain.  For  the  boldest  of  the  warriors, 
avenging  spirits  might  be  hovering  there,  and  they 
would  fear  them  more  than  they  would  fear  the  white 
men  with  rifles. 

"Let's  go  up  to  the  head  of  the  valley,"  he  said  to 
Shi f 'less  Sol.  "If  we  keep  back  among  the  bushes 
we  won't  be  seen." 

"All  right,"  said  his  comrade.  "I  want  to  see  that 
gate  between  the  hills,  that  the  creek  comes  from,  an' 
I  want  to  take  a  look,  too,  at  that  grove  o'  big  trees 
growin'  thar." 

Henry  reckoned  the  length  of  the  valley  at  two 
miles  and  its  width  at  a  half  mile  on  the  average, 
with  the  creek  flowing  down  almost  its  exact  center. 
At  the  head  it  narrowed  fast,  until  it  came  to  the 
gash  between  the  hills,  where  grew  the  largest  oaks 
and  elms  that  he  had  ever  seen.  It  was  in  truth  a 
magnificent  grove  and  it  gave  the  shiftless  one  ex- 
treme delight  which  he  expressed  vocally.  He  sur- 
veyed the  trees  and  the  hills  behind  them  with  a  meas- 
uring and  comprehensive  eye. 

"Them  hills  ain't  so  high,"  he  said,  "but  they're 
high  enough  to  shut  out  the  winds  o'  winter,  bein' 
ez  they  face  the  north  an'  west,  an'  here  curves  the 

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THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

creek  atween  'em,  through  a  gap  not  more'n  ten  feet 
wide.  An'  look  how  them  big  trees  grow  so  close 
together,  an'  in  a  sort  o'  curve.  Why,  that's  shorely 
whar  Adam  an'  Eve  spent  thar  winters.  It  wouldn't 
take  much  work,  thatching  with  poles  an'  bark  to  rig 
up  the  snuggest  kind  o'  a  bower.  These  big  trees 
here  ag'inst  the  cliff  almost  make  a  cabin  themselves." 

"And  one  that  we'll  occupy  the  rest  of  the  day. 
It  would  be  impossible  for  a  warrior  ten  yards  away 
to  see  us  in  here,  while  we  can  see  almost  the  whole 
length  of  the  valley.  I  think  we'd  better  stay  here, 
Sol,  and  make  ourselves  comfortable  for  the  rest  of 
the  day.  You  need  sleep,  and  so  wdll  I  later.  It's 
easy  to  make  beds.  The  dead  leaves  must  lie  a  foot 
thick  on  the  ground." 

"It's  a  wonder  they  ain't  thicker,  gatherin'  here 
ever  since  Adam  an'  Eve  moved." 

"They  rot  beneath  and  the  wind  blows  away  a  lot 
on  top,  but  there's  plenty  left.  Now,  I'm  not  sleepy 
at  all.  You  take  a  nap  and  I'll  watch,  although  I'm 
sure  no  enemy  will  come." 

"Reckon  I  will,  Henry.  It's  peaceful  an'  soothin' 
here  in  the  Garden  o'  Eden,  an'  ef  I  dream  I'll  dream 
good  dreams." 

He  heaped  up  the  leaves  in  the  shape  of  a  bed, 
giving  himself  a  pillow,  and,  sinking  down  upon  it 
luxuriously,  soon  slept.  Henry  also  piled  the  leaves 
high  enough  against  the  trunk  of  one  of  the  largest  | 
trees  to  form  a  cushion  for  his  back,  and  settled  him- 
self into  a  comfortable  position,  with  his  rifle  across 
his  knees. 

132 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

Although  he  had  been  up  all  the  night  he  was  not 
sleepy.  The  shiftless  one's  striking  fancy  had  ex- 
erted a  great  effect  upon  him.  This  was  the  Garden 
of  Eden.  It  must  be,  and  some  ancient  influence, 
something  that  he  would  probably  never  know,  pro- 
tected it  from  invasion.  He  marked  once  more  the 
fearless  nature  of  its  inhabitants.  He  could  see  now 
three  small  groups  of  buffaloes  and  all  of  them  grazed 
in  perfect  peace  and  content.  Nowhere  was  there  a 
sign  of  the  wolves  that  usually  hung  about  to  cut  out 
the  calves  or  the  very  old.  He  saw  deer  in  the  grass 
along  the  creek,  and  they  were  oblivious  of  danger. 

But  what  impressed  him  most  of  all  was  the  pro- 
fusion of  singing  birds  and  their  zeal  and  energy. 
The  chorus  of  singing  and  chattering  rose  and  fell 
now  and  then,  but  it  never  ceased.  The  valley  itself 
fairly  sang  with  it,  and  in  the  opening  before  him 
there  were  incessant  flashes  of  red  and  blue,  as  the 
most  gaily  dressed  of  the  little  birds  shot  past. 

His  eyes  turned  toward  the  gap,  where  the  shiftless 
one  had  placed  the  Angel  with  the  Flaming  Sword. 
It  was  only  a  'few  hundred  yards  away,  and  he  was 
able  to  see  that  it  was  but  a  narrow  cleft  between  the 
hills.  While  he  looked  he  saw  a  human  figure  appear 
upon  the  crest  of  the  hill,  outlined  perfectly  against 
the  sun  which  was  a  blazing  shield  of  gold  behind 
him. 

It  was  a  savage  warrior,  tall,  naked,  save  for  the 
breech  cloth,  his  face  and  body  thick  with  war  paint, 
the  single  scalp  lock  standing  up  defiantly.  The 
luminous    glow    overcoming    the    effect    of    distance, 

133 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

enlarged   him.      He   seemed   twice   his    real   height. 

The  warrior  was  gazing  down  into  the  valley,  but 
Henry  saw  that  he  did  not  move.  His  figure  was 
rigid.  He  merely  looked  and  nothing  more.  Pres- 
ently two  more  figures  of  warriors  appeared,  one  on 
either  side,  and  they  too  were  raised  by  the  golden 
glow  to  twice  their  stature.  All  three  stared  intently 
into  the  valley.  Henry  put  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of 
his  comrade  and  shook  him. 

"What?  What?  What  is  it?"  exclaimed  the  shift- 
less one  sleepily. 

"Three  Indian  warriors  on  the  highest  hill  that 
overlooks  the  valley,  but  they're  not  coming  in. 
I  think  that  the  Angel  with  the  Flaming  Sword  is  in 
the  way." 

Shif'less  Sol  was  all  awake  now,  and  he  stared 
long  at  the  motionless  warriors. 

"No,  they  ain't  comin'  down  in  the  valley,"  he  said 
at  last.     "I  don't  know  how  I  know  it,  but  I  do." 

"Perhaps  it's  because  they  don't  see  the  remotest 
sign  of  an  enemy  here." 

"Partly  that  I  reckon,  an'  fur  other  reasons  too. 
Thar,  they're  goin'  away!  I  expect,  Henry,  that 
them  warriors  are  a  part  o'  the  band  that  wuz  lookin' 
fur  us.  They  don't  keer  to  come  into  the  valley,  but 
they  might  hev  been  tempted  hard  to  come,  ef  they'd 
a'  saw  us.  Mebbe  it's  a  good  thing  that  we  came  here 
into  Adam's  an'  Eve's  home." 

"It  was  certainly  not  the  wrong  thing.  Those 
warriors  are  gone  now,  and  I  predict  that  none  wuU 
come  in  their  place." 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

"That's  a  shore  thing.  Now,  cz  I've  had  my  nap, 
Henry,  you  take  yourn.  Rec'lect  that  it's  always 
watch  an'  watch  with  us." 

Henry  knew  that  the  shiftless  one  would  not  like 
it,  if  he  did  not  take  his  turn,  and,  making  his  leafy 
bed,  he  was  soothed  to  quick  sleep  by  the  singing  of  the 
birds. 

Then  the  shiftless  one  propped  his  back  against 
a  bank  of  leaves  between  him  and  the  trunk  of  a 
tree,  and,  with  the  rifle  across  his  knees,  watched. 
The  great  peace  that  he  had  felt  continued.  The  fact 
that  the  Indians  had  merely  come  to  the  crest  of  the 
hill  and  looked  into  the  valley,  then  going  away,  con- 
firmed him  in  his  beliefs.  As  long  as  Henry  and  he 
stayed  there,  they  would  be  safe.  But  safety  beyond 
that  day  was  not  what  they  were  seeking.  That  night 
they  must  surely  reach  the  other  three,  although  they 
would  enjoy  the  present  to  the  full. 

Shif'less  Sol's  plastic  and  sensitive  mind  had  been 
affected  by  his  meeting  with  Henry.  Despite  his 
great  confidence  in  the  skill  and  strength  of  the  young 
leader,  he  had  been  w^orried  by  his  long  absence  and 
his  meeting  with  him  had  been  an  immense  relief. 
This  and  their  coming  into  the  happy  valley  had  put 
him  in  an  exalted  state.  The  poetical  side  of  nature 
always  met  with  an  immediate  response  in  him,  and 
like  the  Indian  he  personified  the  winds,  and  the  moon 
and  stars  and  sun,  and  all  the  objects  and  forces  that 
were  factors  in  wild  life. 

L}nng  closely  among  his  leaves  he  watched  the 
buffaloes  and  the  deer.     Some  of  tlie  bigger  animals 

135 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

as  the  day  grew  and  the  sun  Increased,  lay  down  in 
the  grass  near  him,  showing  no  sign  of  fear,  although 
they  must  have  been  aw^are  of  his  presence.  A  flight 
of  wild  geese  descended  from  the  sky,  drank  at  the 
stream,  swam  a  little,  then  rose  again  and  were  gone, 
their  forms  blending  into  a  single  great  arrow  shoot- 
ing northward  through  the  blue. 

Shif'less  Sol  did  not  wonder  that  they  had  dropped 
down  into  the  valley  for  a  moment  or  two,  breaking 
their  immeasurable  flight  into  the  far  north.  They 
had  known  that  they  would  be  safe  in  this  little  way 
station,  and  it  w^as  yet  another  confirmation  of  his 
beliefs.  He  watched  the  arrow  so  sharply  outlined 
against  the  blue  until  it  was  gone  in  the  vast  sky,  and 
a  great  wonder  and  awx  filled  the  soul  of  the  shiftless 
one.  He  had  seen  such  flights  countless  times  before, 
but  now  he  began  to  think  about  the  instinct  that  sent 
them  on  such  vast  journeys  through  the  ether  from 
south  to  north  and  back  again,  in  an  endless  repe- 
tition as  long  as  they  lived.  What  journeys  and  what 
rivers  and  lakes  and  forests  and  plains  they  must 
see!  Man  was  but  a  crawler  on  the  earth,  compared 
with  them.  Then  wild  ducks  came,  did  as  the  geese 
had  done,  and  then  they  too  were  gone  in  the  same 
flight  into  the  illimitable  north  that  swallowed  up 
everything. 

It  was  in  the  mind  of  the  shiftless  one  that  he  too 
would  like  to  go  into  that  vast  unknown  North  some 
day,  if  the  fighting  in  Kentucky  ever  came  to  an  end. 
He  had  been  in  the  land  of  the  Shawnees  and 
Miamis,  and  Wyandots  and  he  knew  of  the  Great 

136 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

Lakes  beyond,  but  north  of  thcni  the  wilderness  still 
stretched  to  the  edge  of  the  world,  where  the  polar 
ice  reigned,  eternal.  There  was  no  limit  to  the 
imagination  of  Shi f 'less  Sol,  and  in  all  these  gigantic 
wanderings  the  faithful  four,  his  friends,  were  with 
him. 

Henry  did  not  awaken  until  well  after  noon,  but  as 
usual  his  awakening  was  instantaneous,  that  is,  all 
his  faculties  were  keenly  alert  at  once.  He  glanced 
down  the  valley  and  saw  the  buffalo  and  deer  feeding, 
and  the  great  chorus  of  birds  was  going  on.  The 
shiftless  one,  leaning  against  his  bank  of  leaves,  his 
rifle  on  his  knee,  was  regarding  the  valley  with  an  air 
of  proprietorship. 

"What's  happened  while  I  slept?"  asked  Henry. 

"Nothing.  You  don't  expect  anything  to  happen 
here.    It's  got  to  happen  when  we  leave  tonight." 

"I  think  you're  right  about  it,  and  as  it's  watch  and 
watch,  you  must  go  to  sleep  again  now." 

His  comrade  without  any  protest  stretched  himself 
in  the  leaves  and  soon  slept  soundly.  Meanwhile 
Henry  maintained  vigilent  watch.  In  order  to  keep 
his  muscles  elastic  he  rose  and  walked  about  a  little 
at  times,  but  he  did  not  leave  the  shelter  of  the  thick 
little  grove  that  the  shiftless  one  had  called  a  bower. 
It  well  deserved  the  name,  because  the  trees  were  so 
close  and  large,  and  the  foliage  w^as  so  dense  that  the 
sunlight  could  not  enter.  Indians  on  the  hills  could 
not  possibly  see  the  two  resting  there. 

The  afternoon  drew  on,  long  and  warm.  Save 
within   their   shelter   the   sunlight   blazed   brilliantly. 

137 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

The  buffaloes  suddenly  charged  about  for  a  little  while 
and  Henry  at  first  thought  they  had  been  alarmed  by 
the  coming  of  man,  but  on  second  thought  he  put  it 
down  as  mere  playing.  They  were  well  fed,  full  of 
life,  and  they  were  venting  their  spirits.  They  ceased 
soon  and  lay  down  in  the  shade. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  another  Indian  appeared  on 
the  summit  and  looked  for  a  little  while  into  the  valley, 
but  like  the  others  he  went  away.  Henry  had  felt  sure 
that  he  would. 

Toward  night  the  shiftless  one  awoke,  and  they 
ate  the  last  of  their  food.  But  the  failure  of  the 
supply  did  not  alarm  them.  This  army  was  very  small 
and  if  hunger  pressed  them  hard  there  was  the  forest, 
or  they  might  filch  from  the  Indian  camp.  Such  as 
they  could  dare  anything,  and  achieve  it,  too. 

The  sun  set,  the  shadows  gathered,  and  it  would 
soon  be  time  to  go.  The  waters  of  the  creek  sang 
pleasantly  in  the  ears  of  the  shiftless  one,  and  draw- 
ing a  long  breath  of  regret  he  said  good-bye  to  the 
happy  valley. 

"Nuthin'  happened  while  we  wuz  here,  Henry,''  he 
said,  "and  I  knowed  it  wouldn't  happen.  Our  troubles 
are  comin'  when  we  cross  that  line  o'  hills  over 
thar." 

He  pointed  toward  the  crests.  Beyond  them,  even 
in  the  twilight,  the  column  of  smoke  from  the  great 
Indian  camp  was  still  visible,  although  it  disappeared 
a  few  moments  later,  as  the  dusk  turned  into  the 
dark. 

"The  place  in  the  cliff  lays  to  the  right  o'  that 

138 


THE    FOREST    POETS 

smoke,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "an'  jest  about  ez  fur 
from  here." 

*'\Ve  ought  to  reach  it  in  two  hours." 

*'Ef  nothin'  comes  in  the  way." 

"If  nothing  comes  in  the  way." 

They  crossed  the  valley  speedily  and  soon  stood  on 
one  of  the  crests  that  hemmed  it  in. 

"We've  had  one  fine  day  when  w^e  w^izn't  thinkin* 
about  fightin',"  said  the  shiftless  one,  looking  back. 

"A  restful  day,"  said  Henry. 

Then  the  two  plunged  into  the  deep  forests  that 
lined  the  far  slopes,  and  started  on  their  journey. 


CHAPTER   VIII 


THE  PATH  OF  DANGER 


OTH  Henry  and  Shif'less  Sol  had  a  clear  idea 
of  direction,  and  they  could  lay  a  line,  like  a 
chain  bearer,  toward  the  rock  fortress,  where 
they  felt  sure  their  comrades  were  lying  in  comfort- 
able and  hidden  security.  But  back  now  in  the  deep 
forest  the  atmosphere  of  peace  and  content  that  they 
had  breathed  in  the  happy  valley  was  gone,  instead  it 
was  surcharged  with  war  and  danger. 

"I  miss  our  Garden  o'  Eden,"  whispered  Shif'less 
Sol  regretfully.  "We're  already  back  where  men  are 
fightin'  an'  tryin'  to  kill.'' 

"I  thought  perhaps  most  of  the  army  had  already 
gone  south,  but  there's  the  cokimn  of  smoke  as  big  as 
ever,  and  also  the  second  column  nearer  to  our 
home." 

"An'  here's  a  creek  that  we'll  hev  to  cross.  Looks 
deep  too.     Strike  a  feller  'bout  the  middle." 

"Maybe  we  can  find  a  shallower  place  or  a  tree 
that  has  fallen  all  the  way  across  it." 

They  ran  along  its  bank  for  some  distance,  but 
finding   no   place   where   the   water   looked    shallow 

140 


THE  PATH  OF  DANGER 

plunged  in,  holding  their  weapons  and  ammunition 
cleat"  of  the  surface.  As  they  emerged  on  the  other 
shore,  a  warrior  standing  in  the  bushes  about  forty 
yards  away  uttered  a  shout  and  fired  at  them.  But 
the  Indian  is  never  a  good  marksman  and  in  the  dusk 
his  bullet  cut  the  leaves  at  least  three  feet  over  their 
heads. 

His  warning  shout  and  shot  was  followed  by  a 
yell  from  at  least  twenty  others  who  lay  about  a  small 
fire  in  a  glade  a  hundred  yards  beyond.  Thick  bushes 
had  hid  the  coals  from  the  sight  of  Henry  and  the 
shiftless  one  and  now,  taking  no  time  to  reply  to  the 
bullet  of  the  warrior,  who  stood,  empty  gun  in  hand, 
they  turned  and  ran  swiftly  toward  the  north,  while 
after  them  came  the  whole  yelling  pack. 

"WeVe  shorely  left  the  Garden  o'  Eden,  Henry," 
said  the  shiftless  one.  "They  didn't  do  sech  things 
ez  these  thar  in  Adam  or  Eve's  times,  nor  in  ourn. 
We  come  purty  nigh  walkin'  plum'  into  a  trap." 

"And  we've  got  to  shake  'em  off.  We  mustn't  run 
toward  the  stone  hollow,  because  that  would  merely 
draw  'em  down  on  all  of  us.  We  must  lead  away  to 
the  west  again,  Sol." 

"You're  right,  Henry,  but  that  confounded  creek's 
in  the  way.  I  kin  see  it  off  on  the  left  an'  I  notice 
that  it's  growin'  wider  an'  deeper,  ez  it  flows  on  to  the 
Ohio.     They've  got  us  hemmed  in  ag'inst  it." 

"But  Sol,  they'll  have  to  do  a  lot  before  they  catch 
such  as  you  and  me." 

"That's  so,  Henry.  I  guess  we're  right  hard  to 
ketch.     I'm  proud  to  be  a  fugitive  'long  o'  you." 

141 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Henry  glanced  back  and  saw  the  long  line  of  dusky 
figures  following  them  through  woods  over  hills  and 
across  valleys  with  all  the  tenacity  of  a  pack  of 
wolves  pursuing  a  deer.  He  knew  that  they  would 
hang  on  to  the  last,  and  while  he  was  sure  that  he  and 
Shi f 'less  Sol  could  distance  them,  if  they  used  their 
utmost  speed,  he  was  in  continuous  apprehension  lest 
they  stir  up  some  other  band  or  at  least  stray  warriors, 
as  the  forest  was  full  of  them.  The  creek  was  a  bar 
holding  them  to  an  almost  straight  line.  It  was  wide 
and  too  deep  except  for  swimming,  rising  almost  to 
the  proportions  of  a  river.  Henry  calculated  too  that 
the  creek  did  not  flow  far  west  of  their  hollow  in  the 
rock,  and  thus  they  were  forced,  despite  their  wishes, 
to  run  toward  the  very  place  they  wished  to  avoid. 

"We've  certainly  had  bad  luck,"  he  said  to  Sol, 
"and  I  think  we've  stirred  up  a  regular  hornet's  nest. 
Hark  to  that !" 

From  their  right  cam_e  a  swelling  war  whoop  with 
the  ferocious  whining  note  at  the  end,  and  the  eyes 
of  the  two  fugitives  met.  Each,  despite  the  dark, 
could  read  the  alarm  in  the  face  of  the  other.  They 
had  not  run  out  of  the  trap.  Instead  the  trap 
was  about  to  be  sprung  upon  them.  With  the  un ford- 
able  stream  on  one  side  of  them  an  Indian  band  on 
the  other,  and  an  Indian  band  behind  them  their  case 
was  indeed  serious.  The  transition  from  the  Garden 
of  Eden  to  a  world  of  danger  was  sudden  and 
complete. 

The  band  in  the  rear  gave  answer  to  the  cry  of 
their  comrades  in  the  west,  and  Henry  and  the  shift- 

142 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

less  one  had  never  before  heard  a  whoop  so  full  of 
exultation  and  ferocity.  Henry  understood  it  as  truly 
as  if  it  had  been  spoken  in  words.  It  said  that  the 
fugitives  were  surely  theirs,  that  they  would  be  caught 
very  soon,  that  they  would  be  given  to  the  torture 
and  that  all  the  warriors  should  see  the  flames  lick 
around  their  bare  bodies. 

A  red  mist  appeared  before  the  eyes  of  Henry  The 
wonderful  peace,  and  the  kindness  toward  all  things 
that  had  enwrapped  him,  as  he  lay  all  day  long  in  the 
happy  valley,  were  gone.  Instead  his  veins  were 
flushed  with  anger.  The  warriors  would  exult  over 
the  torture  and  death  of  his  comrades  and  himself. 
Well,  he  would  show  them  that  a  man  could  not  be 
burnt  at  the  stake,  until  he  was  caught,  and  it  was 
easy  to  exult  too  soon. 

He  whirled  for  an  instant,  raised  his  rifle,  fired, 
w^hirled  back  again  and  then  ran  on.  The  whole  mo- 
tion, the  brief  curve  about,  and  then  the  half  circle 
back,  seemed  one,  and  yet,  as  the  tw^o  ran  on,  they 
heard  a  warrior  utter  a  death  shout,  as  he  fell  in  the 
forest. 

*T  reckon  they'll  keep  back  a  little  when  they  learn 
how  we  kin  shoot,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "Yes,  they're 
not  so  close,  by  at  least  thirty  yards.  Now,  how 
foolish  that  is!" 

The  Indians  fired  a  dozen  shots,  but  all  their  bullets 
flew  wild.  Then  a  pattering  upon  leaves  and  bark, 
but  neither  of  the  flying  two  was  touched. 

"Foolish,  so  it  was,"  said  Henry,  "but  it  was  anger 
too.     Now,  hark  to  that,  will  you!" 

143 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

The  shots  were  succeeded  by  a  war  cry,  again  on 
their  right,  but  much  nearer  than  before.  Henry  took 
a  longing  to  look  at  the  creek,  but  if  they  attempted 
to  ford  it  the  warriors  would  almost  certainly  shoot 
them  while  swimming.  He  and  his  comrade  must 
make  a  great  spurt  to  escape  being  cut  off  by  the  sec- 
ond force. 

*'Now,  Sol,"  he  said,  "you're  a  good  runner.  So 
am  I,  and  we  need  to  fly  like  deer.     You  know  why." 

"I  reckon  I  do." 

The  speed  of  the  two  suddenly  increased.  They 
went  forward  now,  as  if  they  were  shot  from  a  bow. 
Fortunately  there  were  no  pitfalls.  The  ground  was 
not  strewn  with  vines  and  brush  to  entrap  them,  and 
seeing  that  the  two  fugitives  would  be  well  ahead 
before  the  junction  of  the  two  bands  could  be  formed, 
the  band  behind  them  sent  forth  its  war  whoop.  But 
to  Henry  with  his  sensitive  ear  attuned  to  every  shade 
of  feeling  that  night  the  cry  was  not  so  full  of  exulta- 
tion and  triumph  as  the  one  before. 

"Afraid  the  trap  will  fail  to  shut  down  on  us,"  he 
said  to  the  shiftless  one. 

"I  read  it  that  way." 

"A  little  faster,  Sol!  A  little  faster!  We  must 
make  sure!" 

Fortunately  the  creek  now  curved  to  the  left,  which 
enabled  them  to  draw  away  from,  the  second  band, 
and  both  feeling  that  the  crisis  was  at  hand  put  forth 
their  utmost  powers.  Under  a  burst  of  magnificent 
speed  the  ground  spun  behind  them.  Trees  and 
bushes  flitted  past.    Then  they  heard  the  disappointed 

144 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

yell,  as  the  two  bands  joined,  and  the  firing  of  shots 
that  fell  short. 

"One  danger  escaped,"  breathed  Henry  as  they 
slackened  speed. 

"But  thar's  more  to  come.  Still,  I'm  glad  I  don't 
hev  to  run  so  fast  fur  a  time.  It's  fine  to  l)e  a  race 
horse,  but  you  can't  be  a  racin'  all  the  days  an'  nights 
o'  your  life." 

"We  must  cross  the  creek  some  way  or  other,  Sol. 
I  don't  think  our  rock  fortress  can  now  be  more  than 
ten  miles  away  and  we  can't  afford  to  bring  the 
warriors  down  on  it." 

Shif'less  Sol  nodded.  They  kept  very  near  to  the 
creek  and  he  noticed  suddenly  that  the  current  w-as 
shallowing,  and  had  grow^n  much  swifter.  He  in- 
ferred that  rapids  were  ahead,  but  this  was  surely  the 
place  to  cross,  and  he  called  Henry's  attention  to  it. 
The  bank  was  about  six  feet  above  the  water  and 
Henry  said  instantly: 

"Jump,  Sol,  jump!  But  be  sure  that  you  land 
squarely  on  your  feet!" 

The  shiftless  one  nodded.  Certainly  a  man  could 
not  choose  a  poorer  time  to  turn  an  ankle.  Without 
stopping  speed  but  balancing  himself  perfectly  he 
sprang  far  out,  and  Henry  sprang  with  him.  There 
WTre  two  splashes,  as  they  sank  almost  to  the  waists 
in  the  water,  but  they  were  able  to  keep  their  powder 
and  weapons  dry,  and  in  an  instant  they  were  at 
the  far  bank  climbing  up  with  all  the  haste  of  those 
w^ho  know  they  are  about  to  become  targets  for 
bullets. 

145 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

They  heard  the  yell  of  disappointment  anew,  and 
then  the  scattering  fire  of  bullets.  Two  or  three  pat- 
tered on  the  stream,  but  they  did  not  hear  the  whizz  of 
the  others,  and  in  an  instant  they  were  safely  up  the 
bank  and  into  the  forest. 

"Hit,  Sol?"  said  Henry. 

"Nary  a  hit.     An'  you?" 

"Untouched." 

"Come  down  straight  on  your  feet  in  the  creek?" 

"Straight  as  straight  can  be.     And  you?" 

"Split  the  water  like  a  fish.  Wet  to  the  middle,  but 
happy.  I  reckon  we  kin  slow  down  a  little  now,  can't 
we?  I'm  a  good  runner,  but  I  wuzn't  made  up  to 
go  forever." 

"  We'll  stop  a  little  while  in  these  bushes  until  we 
can  get  the  fresh  breath  that  we  need  so  badly.  But 
you  know,  Sol,  they'll  cross  the  creek,  hunt  for  our 
trail  and  follow  us." 

"Let  'em  come.  We  ain't  hemmed  in  now,  an' 
with  a  thousand  miles  o'  space  to  run  in  I  reckon  they 
won't  git  us." 

They  lay  panting  in  the  bushes  a  full  ten  minutes. 
Then  their  hearts  sank  to  a  normal  beat,  strength 
flowed  back  into  their  veins,  and,  rising  they  stole 
away,  keeping  a  general  course  toward  the  west. 
They  went  at  a  rather  easy  gait  for  an  hour  or  more, 
but  when  they  rested  fifteen  minutes  they  heard  at 
the  end  of  that  time  sounds  of  pursuit.  The  warriors 
were  showing  their  usual  tenacity  on  the  trail,  and 
knowing  that  it  was  not  wise  to  delay  longer  they 
fled  again  toward  the  west,  though  they  took  careful 

146 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

note  of  the  country  as  they  went,  because  they  in- 
tended to  come  back  there  again. 

Twice  the  Indian  horde  behind  them  gave  tongue, 
sign  that  the  pursuit  would  be  followed  to  the  bitter 
end,  but  Henry  and  the  shiftless  one  now  had  little 
fear  for  themselves.  Their  chief  apprehension  was 
lest  they  be  driven  so  far  to  the  west  they  might  not 
return  in  time  to  allay  the  doubts  and  fears  of  their 
comrades. 

They  soon  passed  from  hills  into  marshy  regions 
which  to  their  skilled  eyes  betokened  another  creek, 
flowing  like  its  parallel  sister  into  the  Ohio.  All 
these  creeks  overflowed  widely  in  the  heavy  spring 
rains,  and  they  judged  that  the  swampy  territory  had 
been  left  by  the  retreating  waters. 

"Ez  I  think  I  told  you  before,"  said  Shif'less  Sol, 
"I'm  a  mighty  good  runner.  But  thar  are  some  things 
I  kin  do  besides  runnin'.  Runnin'  all  night,  even 
when  you  slow  up  a  bit,  gits  stale.  Your  mind  grows 
mighty  tired  o'  it  even  if  your  feet  do  plant  themselves 
one  after  another  jest  like  a  machine.  Now,  my  mind 
is  sayin'  enough,  so  I  think,  Henry,  we  might  git 
through  this  swamp,  leavin'  no  trail,  o'  course,  an' 
rest  on  some  good  solid  little  bit  o'  land  surrounded 
by  a  sea  o'  mud." 

"That's  right,  Sol.  It's  what  we  must  do,  but  we 
must  cross  to  the  other  side  of  the  creek  before  we 
find  our  oasis." 

"Oasis!    What's  an  oasis?" 

"It's  something,  surrounded  by  something  else," 
Henry  explained.    "Come  on  now,  Sol.     Watch  your 

147 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

footing.     Don't  get  yourself  any  muddier  than  you 
can  help." 

"Fm  follerin',  steppin'  right  in  your  tracks,  over 
which  the  soft  mud  draws  the  minute  my  foot  has 
left  'em.  I'm  glad  thar  are  lots  o'  bushes  here,  'cause 
they'll  hide  us  from  any  warriors  who  may  be  in 
advance  o'  the  main  band." 

The  creek  was  not  as  deep  and  wide  as  the  other, 
and  they  crossed  it  without  trouble.  Two  hundred 
yards  further  on  they  found  a  tiny  island  of  firm 
ground  set  thick  with  saplings  and  bushes,  among 
which  they  crawled  and  lay  down,  until  regular 
breathing  came  back.  Then  they  scraped  the  mud  off 
their  moccasins  and  leggings  and  sat  up  on  the  hard 
earth. 

"An'  so  this  is  an  oasis?"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 

"Yes,  solid  ground,  surrounded  for  a  long  distance 
by  mud." 

"An'  with  saplin's  an'  bushes  so  thick  that  the 
sharpest  eyed  warrior  ever  born  couldn't  see  into  it. 
Henry,  I'm  thinkin'  that  we've  found  another  little 
home. 

"One  that  hides  us  from  people  passing  by,  but 
that  does  not  put  a  roof  over  our  heads  or  give  us 
food  to  eat." 

"Do  you  care  to  rec'lect,  Henry,  that  all  our 
venison  is  gone?" 

"Don't  talk  to  me  about  it  now.  I  know  we'll  be 
hungry  soon,  but  we'll  just  have  to  be  hungry,  and 
that's  all." 

"I  wish  it  WU2  all.     I'm  hungry  right  now,  an'  I 

148 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

know  that  the  longer  I  lay  here  the  hungrier  I'll  git. 
I'm  lookin'  ahead,  Henry,  an'  I  see  the  time  when 
we'll  hev  to  shoot  a  deer,  even  ef  thar  are  ten  thousand 
warriors  in  a  close  ring  about  us." 

"Peep  between  those  vines,  Sol,  and  you  can  see 
them  now  among  the  bushes  on  the  far  side  of  the 
creek." 

The  shiftless  one  raised  himself  up  a  little,  and 
looked  in  the  direction  that  Henry  had  indicated. 
There  was  sufficient  moonlight  to  disclose  four  or 
five  warriors  who  had  come  to  the  edge  of  the  swamp 
and  stopped.  They  seemed  at  a  loss,  as  the  mud  had 
long  since  sunk  back  and  covered  up  the  trail,  and 
perhaps,  also,  they  hesitated  because  of  the  dreaded 
rifles  of  the  two  white  men,  w^hich  might  be  fired  at 
them  from  some  unsuspected  place.  As  they  hesi- 
tated another  figure  emerged  from  the  background 
and  joined  them. 

"Braxton  Wyatt!"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "He  must 
hev  been  in  the  second  band  that  come  up.  Do  you 
think  I  could  reach  him  with  a  long  shot,  Henry?" 

"No,  and  even  if  you  could  you  mustn't  try.  We 
are  well  hidden  now,  but  a  shot  would  bring  them 
down  upon  us.  Let  Braxton  Wyatt  wait.  His  time 
will  come." 

"Here's  hopin'  that  it'll  come  soon.  I'm  beginnin' 
to  feel  a  sight  better,  Henry.  Lookin'  over  all  that 
mud  they  don't  dream  that  the  fellers  they're  lookin' 
fur  are  layin'  here  in  this  little  clump  o'  bushes,  like 
two  rabbits  in  their  nests." 

"They  won't  find  us  because  there  is  no  trail  lead- 

149 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

ing  here.  They'll  be  searching  the  forests  on  the 
other  side,  and  we  can  stay  here  until  they  go  away." 

"Which  would  leave  us  happy  ef  I  wuzn't  so 
hungry.  It's  comin'  on  me  strong,  Henry,  that 
hungry  feelin'.  You  know  that  I'm  gen'ally  a 
pow'ful  feeder." 

"I  know  it,  but  this  is  a  time  when  you'll  have  to 
resist." 

"I  ain't  so  shore.  I  notice  that  them  that  want 
things  pow'ful  bad  an'  go  after  'em  pow'ful  hard  are 
most  always  them  that  gits  'em,  an'  that's  me 
tonight." 

"Well,  lie  close,  and  we'll  see  what  happens, 
there's  Wyatt  within  reach  of  my  rifle  right  now,  and 
it's  a  strong  temptation  to  put  a  bullet  into  him.  The 
temptation  is  just  as  strong  in  me,  Sol,  as  it  has  been 
in  you." 

"Then  why  don't  you  do  it  an'  take  the  chances? 
We  kin  git  away  anyhow." 

"For  several  reasons,  Sol.  I  doubt  whether  we 
could  get  away,  and  escape  is  important  not  only  to 
ourselves — I  like  my  life  and  you  like  yours — but  to 
others  as  well.  Besides,  I  can't  draw  trigger  on 
Braxton  Wyatt  from  cover.  Cruel  as  he  is,  and  he's 
worse  than  the  savages,  because  he's  a  renegade,  I 
can't  forget  that  we  were  boys  at  Wareville  together." 

"Still  your  bullet,  most  likely,  would  save  the  life 
o'  many  a  man  an'  o'  women  an'  children  too.  But 
it's  too  late  anyhow.  He's  gone,  an'  them  warriors 
hev  gone  with  him.  By  the  great  horn  spoon,  what 
wuz  that!" 

150 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

They  had  now  gone  to  the  extreme  eastern  edge  of 
their  httle  covert  and  a  sudden  floundering  and  gasp- 
ing there  startled  them.  A  large  black  figure  rose 
up  from  a  dense  thicket  of  alders,  pawpaws  and  small 
willows  and  gazed  at  them  a  moment  or  two  with 
frightened  red  eyes. 

**A  bear,"  exclaimed  Shifless  Sol.  "Oh,  Henry, 
let  me  shoot !  I  kin  see  his  steaks  fryin*  over  the  coals 
now.  Thar's  our  supper,  settin*  on  its  hind  legs  not 
ten  feet  from  us." 

''Don't  you  dare  do  such  a  thing!"  exclaimed 
Henry,  laughing.  "Why,  your  shot  would  bring  a 
whole  tribe  of  Indians  down  upon  us!" 

"I  know  it,  but  I  do  want  that  bear,  an'  I  want  to 
put  the  responsibility  o'  not  gittin'  him  on  you." 

"All  right.  I  take  it.  There  he  goes  and  your 
chance,  too,  is  lost." 

The  bear  threshed  out  of  his  den,  clattered  across 
the  mud  flats  and  entered  the  forest,  whence  came  in  a 
minute  the  sound  of  a  shot. 

"Thar,  the  warriors  hev  got  him!"  exclaimed 
Shifless  Sol,  deep  disappointment  showing  in  his 
tone,  "and  in  two  or  three  hours  they'll  be  cookin' 
him.  An'  he  was  our  bear,  too.  We  saw  him  first. 
I  could  see  that  he  was  nice  an'  fat,  even  ef  it 
wuz  early  in  the  year,  an'  them  steaks  belong  to 
us." 

"Maybe  they  did,  but  we've  lost  'em.  Now,  I  think 
we'd  better  keep  quiet.  The  Indians  are  probably  far 
ahead  of  us,  thinking  that  we've  gone  that  way." 

The  shiftless  one  subsided  into  an  indignant  silence. 

151 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL' 

The  oasis  was  an  ideal  place  for  two  situated  as  they 
were,  and  having  the  wisdom  of  the  woods  they 
remained  still  and  quiet  in  its  cover.  But  after  three 
or  four  hours  the  shiftless  one  became  restless.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  strength,  and  despite  his  lazy 
manner,  of  wonderful  bodily  activity.  It  took  much 
food  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  that  powerful  frame, 
and  he  was  growing  hungrier  and  hungrier.  More- 
over a  light  wind  began  to  blow  from  the  west,  bring- 
ing upon  its  edge  a  faint  aroma  that  caused  him  to 
sit  up  and  sniff  inquiringly.  The  odor  grew  stronger, 
and  he  no  longer  had  need  to  ask  questions  with  his 
nose.     He  knew,  and  he  knew  too  well. 

*'Henry,''  he  said,  "thar's  our  bear  jest  as  I  ex- 
pected. They're  cookin'  him,  an'  it's  not  so  fur  away 
either  1" 

"I  think  you're  right,  but  we  can't  help  it.  We 
have  to  be  resigned." 

"Mebbe  we  can't  help  it,  an'  then  ag'in  mebbe  we 
kin,  but  anyway  I  ain't  goin'  to  be  resigned.  I'm 
protestin'  all  the  time,  'cause  it's  my  bear.  I  saw  him 
first." 

The  savory  odor  grew  stronger,  and  the  anger  and 
indignation  of  the  shiftless  one  increased.  And  with 
these  two  emotions  came  a  third  which  hardened  into 
a  resolution. 

"Henry,"  he  said,  "you're  our  leader,  an'  we  most 
always  do  what  you  say,  but  this  time  I  reckon  I've 
decided  fur  myself  what  I'm  goin'  to  do.  I'm  growin' 
hungrier  an'  hungrier.  Sometimes  I  put  that  hunger 
down  but  in  a  minute  it  bounces  back  up  ag'in  stronger 

152 


THE  PATH  OF  DANGER 

than  ever.  It's  my  master,  gittin'  control  over  ev'ry 
inch  o'  me,  an'  I've  got  to  Hsten  to  what  it  says. 
I  know  I'm  makin*  a  long  speech,  talkin'  like  an  Injun 
chief  at  a  council,  but  I've  got  to  explain  an'  make 
clear  ez  day  why  I'm  goin'  to  do  the  thing  I'm  goin* 
to  do." 

"Go  on,  Sol.  Talk  as  much  as  you  please.  We've 
all  night  before  us." 

"Which  is  good.  Ez  I  said,  hunger  has  laid  hold  o' 
ev'ry  inch  o'  me,  an'  is  workin'  mighty  fast.  When 
I  git  into  that  state  I'm  plum'  distracted  on  the  ques- 
tion o'  food,  though  it  makes  me  smarter  an'  more 
keerful  than  ever  on  the  ways  to  git  it.  I  jest  wanted 
to  tell  you,  Henry,  that  I'm  goin  to  leave  this  oasis 
an'  come  back  with  a  load  o'  them  bear  steaks  that 
rightfully  belong  to  me." 

"Have  you  lost  your  mind,  Sol?  You'd  be  killed 
and  scalped  in  an  hour !" 

"I  knowed  you'd  say  that.  That's  the  reason  I 
come  around  to  it  gradual  like,  an'  in  a  circle,  but 
Henry,  it  ain't  no  use  talkin'.  I'm  goin'.  My  mind 
is  clean  made  up.  Besides,  I  won't  be  scalped  an'  I 
won't  be  killed.  Jest  you  lay  down  an'  afore  long 
I'll  be  back  here  w-ith  my  property." 

Henry  saw  that  it  was  no  use  to  argue.  The  mind 
of  the  shiftless  one  was  made  up,  and  occasionally  he 
could  be  as  resolute  as  Henry  himself. 

"If  you're  bound  to  go  I  can't  help  it,"  Henry  said. 
"I  don't  know  your  plan  of  action,  and  I  won't  ask 
it,  but  if  you  don't  come  back  I'll  feel  pretty  bad, 
Sol." 

153 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"But  I'll  come  back.  That's  shore.  The  night  has 
jest  this  minute  turned  darker,  which  is  a  sign. 
Darkness  is  what  I  need,  an'  it  tells  me  that  I'm  goin' 
to  git  through." 

Henry  saw  his  comrade  depart  with  keen  regret. 
He  did  not  look  upon  him  as  lost,  because  his  skill 
was  great.  But  so  was  the  danger,  and  he  thought 
the  risk  was  out  of  proportion  to  the  purpose.  But 
there  was  nothing  more  for  him  to  say  and  he 
watched  the  shiftless  one  as  he  left  the  oasis,  glided 
over  the  mud  flat  and  disappeared  in  the  forest  to 
the  west. 

Then  came  a  long  and  painful  wait.  Twice  he 
heard  the  warriors,  through  the  medium  of  the  wolf's 
howl,  calling  to  one  another,  but  he  did  not  believe  the 
cries  had  any  bearing  upon  the  adventure  of  Shi  f 'less 
Sol.  Then  he  heard  a  faint  chorus  of  yells  in  the 
western  forest,  whence  his  comrade  had  gone,  and 
he  knew  that  something  had  happened.  He  was  filled 
with  apprehension,  but  he  could  do  nothing,  except 
to  lie  still  in  the  covert. 

The  yell  was  not  repeated,  but  he  intently  watched 
the  edge  of  the  forest  on  all  sides  except  the  west. 
After  a  while  he  saw  the  faint  figure  of  a  man, 
scarcely  a  tracery,  appear  in  the  north,  and  then  come 
skipping  like  a  swift  shadow  across  the  flat.  His 
heart  did  not  rise  merely,  but  took  a  sudden  jump 
upward.  It  was  the  shiftless  one  returning  to  their 
lair,  and  doubtless  in  triumph. 

He  had  not  time  to  think  much  about  it  before 
Shifless  Sol  was  on  the  oasis,  crouched  among  the 

XS4 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

bushes,  laughing  low,  but  in  a  tone  that  was  fairly 
redolent  of  triumph. 

"I  done  done  it,  Henry!"  he  exulted.  "I  done 
done  it!" 

He  held  up  the  hind  quarter  of  a  bear  that  had  been 
cooked  to  a  turn  over  a  bed  of  coals. 

"I  haven't  tasted  it  yet,"  he  said,  "but  jest  smell  it! 
Did  sech  an  odor  ever  afore  tickle  your  nose?  Did 
your  mouth  ever  afore  water  so  much?  Here, 
Henry,  fall  on!" 

He  took  out  his  knife,  cut  off  a  big  piece  and  handed 
it  to  Henry,  who  began  to  eat  eagerly.  Then  the 
shiftless  one  fell  to  in  like  fashion. 

"How  did  you  manage  it?"  he  asked. 

The  shiftless  one  grinned. 

"Didn't  I  tell  you  that  the  sudden  darkness  wuz  a  sign 
favorin'  me?"  he  said.  "Paul  is  always  tellin'  about 
them  old  Greeks  an'  Romans  not  goin'  into  battle  till 
they  had  talked  with  the  omens,  mostly  the  insides  o' 
cows  an'  sheep.  I  believe  in  signs  too.  Mine  w^uz  a 
lot  better,  an'  it  worked.  I  found  that  they  hed  jest 
finished  roastin'  the  bear  on  the  coals,  after  hevin' 
dressed  him  an'  cut  him  into  four  quarters.  'Pears 
that  most  o'  'em  hed  gone  deeper  into  the  woods  to 
look  fur  somethin'.  I  come  close  up  in  the  bushes, 
an'  began  a  terrible  snarlin'  an'  yelpin'  like  a  hull 
pack  o'  wolves.  The  three  that  wuz  left,  the  cooks, 
took  torches  from  the  fire,  an'  run  in  after  me.  But 
I  hed  flew  like  lightnin'  'roun'  to  the  other  side, 
jumped  in,  grabbed  up  one  o'  the  quarters  by  the  leg, 
an'    wuz    away    afore    they    could    fairly    see    what 

155 


THE  KEEPERS  OF  THE  TRATT: 

fiad  happened,  an'  who  had  made  it  happen.  Then 
they  set  up  one  yell,  which  I  guess  you  heard,  but  I 
kept  on  flyin'  through  the  woods  to  the  north,  curved 
about,  came  over  the  mud  flats  whar  no  trail  kin  last 
a  minute,  an'  here  I  am  with  our  bear,  or  ez  much 
of  it  ez  we  want  o'  him." 

"You've  done  a  great  deed,  Sol.  I  didn't  think  you 
could  go  through  with  it,  but  you  have,  and  this  bear 
is  mighty  fine." 

"He  wuz  ourn,  an'  I  wuz  bound  to  hev  a  part  o' 
him." 

"We'll  put  the  rest  in  our  knapsacks  and  there 
ought  to  be  enough  for  two  days  more.  It  relieves 
us  of  a  great  anxiety,  because  we  couldn't  go  without 
food,  and  we  really  needed  it  badly." 

"I'm  feelin'  like  two  men  already.  I  wonder  what 
the  boys  are  doin'  up  thar  in  the  holler?  A-layin' 
'roun'  on  the  stone  floor,  I  s'pose,  eatin',  drinkin'  cold 
water,  an'  hevin'  a  good  time." 

"But  remember  their  anxiety  about  us." 

"I  do.  They  shorely  must  hev  worried  a  lot,  seein' 
that  we've  been  gone  so  long  a  time.  Them  are  three 
fine  fellers,  Henry,  Paul  with  all  his  learnin'  an'  his 
quiet  ways,  an'  Long  Jim,  with  whom  I  like  so 
pow'ful  well  to  argy  an'  who  likes  so  pow'ful  well  to 
argy  with  me,  ez  good  a  feller  ez  ever  breathed,  an' 
Tom  Ross,  who  don't  talk  none,  givin'  all  his  time 
to  me,  but  who  knows  such  a  tremenjeous  lot.  We've 
got  to  git  back  to  'em  soon,  Henry." 

Henry  agreed  with  him,  and  then,  having  eaten 
heartily  they  took  turn  and  turn  in  sleeping.     Their 

156 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

clothing  had  dried  on  them,  but  their  blankets  had 
escaped  a  wetting  entirely,  and  they  were  able  to  make 
themselves  comfortable. 

In  the  morning  Henry  saw  that  the  larger  column 
of  smoke  was  gone,  but  that  the  smaller  remained,  and 
the  fact  aroused  his  curiosity. 

**"VVhat  do  you  make  of  it?"  he  asked  Shif'less  Sol. 

"I  draws  from  it  the  opinion  that  the  main  band 
with  the  cannon  hez  started  off  into  the  south,  but 
that  part  o'  the  warriors  hev  stayed  behind  fur  some 
purpose  or  other." 

*'My  opinion,  too.  But  why  has  the  big  force  gone 
and  the  small  one  remained?" 

''I  can't  say.    It's  too  much  fur  me." 

Henry  had  an  idea,  but  hoping  that  he  was  mis- 
taken he  did  not  utter  it  just  then. 

"If  the  big  band  has  started  south  again,"  he  said, 
"and  the  absence  of  the  column  of  smoke  indicates  it, 
then  all  the  Indians  in  this  part  of  the  forest  have  been 
draw^n  off.  They've  long  since  lost  us,  and  they 
wouldn't  linger  here  in  the  hope  of  running  across  us 
by  chance,  when  the  great  expedition  was  already  on 
its  w^ay." 

"That's  sound  argument,  an'  so  we'll  leave  our 
islan'  an'  make  fur  the  boys." 

They  picked  a  path  across  the  mud  flats,  recrossed 
the  creek  and  entered  the  deep  forest,  where  the  two 
felt  as  if  they  had  come  back  to  their  true  home.  The 
wonderful  breeze,  fresh  wath  a  thousand  odors  of 
spring  in  the  wilderness,  was  blowing.  It  did  not 
come  across  mud  flats,  but  it  came  through  a  thousand 

157 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

miles  of  dark  green  foliage,  the  leaves  rippling  like 
the  waters  of  the  sea. 

''The  woods  fur  me,"  said  Shif'less  Sol,  speaking 
in  a  whisper,  with  instinctive  caution.  "I  like  'em, 
even  when  they're  full  o'  warriors  lookin'  fur  my 
scalp." 

The  forest  here  was  very  dense,  and  also  was  heavy 
with  undergrowth  which  suited  their  purpose,  as  they 
would  be  able  to  approach  the  hollow,  unseen  and  un- 
heard. Henry  still  did  not  like  the  presence  of  the 
smaller  column  of  smoke,  and  when  he  reached  the 
crest  of  their  first  hill  he  saw  that  it  was  yet  rising. 

"You  had  a  sign  last  night,  and  it  was  a  good  one," 
he  said  to  Shif'less  Sol,  ''but  I  see  one  now,  and  I 
think  it  is  a  bad  one." 

''We'll  go  on  an'  find  it." 

They  approached  the  hollow  rapidly,  the  forest 
everywhere  being  extremely  dense,  but  when  they 
were  within  less  than  a  mile  of  it  both  stopped  short 
and  looked  at  each  other. 

"You  heard  it?"  said  Henry. 

"Yes,  I  heard  it." 

"It  wasn't  much  louder  than  the  dropping  of  an 
acorn,  but  it  was  a  rifle  shot." 

"O'  course  it  wuz  a  rifle  shot.  Neither  you  nor  I 
could  be  mistook  about  that." 

"And  you  noticed  where  it  came  from?" 

"Straight  from  the  place  where  Paul  and  Tom  and 
Long  Jim  Hart  are." 

"Which  may  mean  that  their  presence  has  been  dis- 
covered and  that  they  are  besieged." 

158 


THE    PATH    OF    DAxNGER 

'That's  the  way  I  look  at  it." 

''And  we  must  make  a  rescue." 

"That's  true,  an'  we've  got  to  be  so  mighty  kcerful 
about  it  that  we  ain't  took  an'  scalped  and  burned  by 
the  savages,  afore  we've  had  a  single  chance  at  makin' 
a  rescue." 

The  thought  in  the  minds  of  the  two  was  the  same. 
They  were  sure  now  from  the  absence  of  the  larger 
smoke  column  that  the  main  force  had  gone  south, 
but  that  the  smaller  had  remained  to  take  their  com- 
rades, whose  presence,  by  some  chance,  they  had  dis- 
covered. They  lay  closely  hidden  for  a  while,  and 
they  heard  the  report  of  a  second  shot,  followed  by  a 
mere  shred  of  sound  which  they  took  to  be  an  Indian 
yell,  although  they  were  not  sure. 

"Ef  the  boys  are  besieged,  an'  we  think  they  are," 
said  the  shiftless  one,  "they  kin  hold  out  quite  a  while 
even  without  our  help.  So  I  think,  Henry,  we'd  better 
go  an'  see  whether  the  main  camp  has  broke  up  an' 
the  cannon  gone  south.  It  won't  be  so  hard  to  find 
out  that,  an'  then  we  kin  tell  better  what  we  want 
to  do." 

"You're  right,  of  course,"  replied  Henry.  "We'll 
have  to  leave  our  comrades  for  the  time  and  go  to 
the  big  camp." 

They  curved  again  toward  the  south  and  west, 
keeping  to  the  thickest  part  of  the  forest  and  using 
every  possible  device  to  hide  their  trail,  knowing  its 
full  necessity,  as  the  day  was  brilliant  and  one,  unless 
under  cover,  could  be  seen  from  afar.  Game  started 
up  in  their  path  and  Henry  took  it  as  new  proof  that 

159 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  main  body  of  the  Indians  had  gone.  Deer,  scared 
away  by  the  hunters,  were  so  plentiful  that  they  would 
return  soon  after  the  danger  for  them  departed. 
Nevertheless  both  he  and  the  shiftless  one  were  ap- 
prehensive of  wandering  warriors  wdio  might  see  them 
from  some  covert,  and  their  progress,  of  necessity, 
was  slow. 

They  came  to  several  grassy  openings,  in  one  of 
which  the  buffalo  were  feeding,  but  Henry  and  his 
comrade  always  passed  around  such  exposed  places, 
even  at  the  cost  of  greatly  lengthening  their  journey. 
At  one  point  they  heard  a  slight  sound  in  the  forest, 
and  being  uncertain  whether  it  was  made  by  an  enemy 
they  remained  crouched  in  the  thicket  at  least  a  half- 
hour.  Then  they  heard  another  faint  report  in  the 
north  and  their  keen  ears  told  them  it  came  from  a 
point  near  the  rocky  hollow. 

"I  can't  make  anything  of  it,"  whispered  Henry, 
"except  that  the  boys  are  besieged  as  we  feared.  I've 
tried  to  believe  that  the  shots  were  fired  by  Indians  at 
game,  but  I  can't  force  my  belief.  The  reports  all 
come  from  the  same  place,  and  they  mean  exactly 
what  w^e  wish  they  didn't  mean." 

"But  they  mean  too,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  coura- 
geously, "that  so  long  as  we  hear  'em  the  boys  are 
holdin'  out.  The  warriors  wouldn't  be  shootin'  off 
their  guns  fur  nothin'." 

"That's  true.  Now,  we  haven't  heard  that  sound 
again.  It  must  have  been  made  by  a  wildcat  or  a  wolf 
or  something  of  the  kind.     So  let's  press  on." 

The  great  curve  through  the  forest  took  them  late 

i6o 


THE    PATH    OF    DANGER 

in  the  afternoon  to  the  site  of  the  big*  camp.  They 
were  sure,  long  before  they  reached  it  that  it  had  been 
abandoned.  They  approached  very  carefully  through 
the  dense  woods,  and  they  heard  no  sound  whatever. 
It  was  true  that  a  little  smoke  floated  about  among 
the  dense  leaves,  but  both  were  certain  that  it  came 
from  dying  fires,  abandoned  many  hours  ago. 

*'You  don't  hear  anything,  do  you?"  asked  Henry. 

"Not  a  sound." 

'Then  they're  gone." 

Rising  from  the  undergrowth  they  boldly  entered 
the  camp,  where  perhaps  a  thousand  warriors  had 
danced  and  sung  and  feasted  and  slept  for  days.  Now 
the  last  man  was  gone,  but  they  had  left  ample  trace 
of  their  presence.  In  the  wide  open  space  lay  the 
charred  coals  of  many  fires,  and  everywhere  were 
heaps  of  bones  of  buffalo,  bear,  dear  and  wild  turkey. 
Feathers  and  an  occasional  paint  box  were  scattered 
about. 

"The  feast  before  the  fight,"  said  the  shiftless  one. 
"I've  a  good  appetite  myself,  but  it  won't  hold  a 
candle  to  that  of  a  hungry  warrior." 

A  low  snarling  and  a  pattering  of  many  feet  came 
from  the  surrounding  forest. 

"The  wolves,"  said  Henry.  "They've  been  here  to 
glean,  and  they  ran  away  at  our  approach." 

"An'  they'll  be  back  the  moment  we  leave.'* 

"Like  as  not,  but  we  don't  care.  Here  are  the  wheel 
tracks,  Sol,  and  there  is  the  road  they've  cut  through 
the  forest.  A  blind  boy  could  follow  the  trail  of  the 
cannon,  and  do  you  know,  Sol,  I'm  bothered  terribly." 

i6i 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

*'Yes,  I  know,  Henry.  We've  got  to  turn  back,  an' 
save  the  boys  while  them  warriors,  with  the  EngHsh 
an'  the  cannon,  are  goin'  on  into  the  south  to  attack 
our  people." 

"And  time  is  often  the  most  precious  of  all  things." 

"So  it  is,  Henry." 

Henry  sat  down  on  one  of  the  logs  and  cupped  his 
chin  in  his  hands.  The  problem  presented  to  him 
was  a  terrible  one,  and  he  was  thinking  with  all  his 
powers  of  concentration.  Should  he  and  Shi f 'less  Sol 
follow  and  continue  his  efforts  to  destroy  the  cannon, 
or  return  and  help  their  comrades  who  might  be 
besieged  for  a  week,  or  even  longer?  But  it  was 
likely  that  Paul,  Long  Jim  and  Silent  Tom,  with 
all  their  resources  of  skill  and  courage,  would  hold 
out.  In  the  face  of  a  defence  such  as  they  could 
make  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  force  the  cleft 
in  the  cliff,  and  they  had  some  food  and  of  course 
unlimited  water. 

They  could  be  left  to  themselves,  while  Shi f 'less 
Sol  and  he  hurried  on  the  trail  of  the  Indian  army  and 
made  their  great  attempt.  Shi f 'less  Sol  watched  him, 
as  he  sat,  his  chin  sunk  in  his  hand,  the  deep  eyes  very 
thoughtful.  Presently  both  looked  at  the  column  of 
smoke  not  more  than  a  mile  away  that  marked  the 
presence  of  the  smaller  camp,  the  one  that  had  re- 
mained and  which  was  undoubtedly  conducting  the 
siege.  As  they  looked  they  heard  once  more  the  faint 
report  of  a  shot,  or  its  echo  coming  down  the  wind. 
Henry  stood  up,  and  there  was  no  longer  a  look  of 
doubt  in  his  eyes." 

162 


THE  PATH  OF  DANGER 

"Sol,"  he  said,  "those  three  have  been  with  us  in 
a  thousand  dangers,  haven't  they?" 

"Nigher  ten  thousand,  Henry." 

"And  they  never  left  us  to  look  out  for  ourselves?" 

"Never,  Henry." 

"And  they  never  would  do  it,  either." 

"Never.  Warriors,  an'  fires,  an'  floods,  an'  earth- 
quakes all  together  couldn't  make  'em  do  it." 

"Nor  can  they  make  us.  We've  got  to  go  back  and 
rescue  our  comrades,  Sol,  and  then  we'll  try  to  over- 
take their  army  and  destroy  the  cannon." 

"I  thought  you'd  decide  that  way,  Henry.  No,  I 
knowed  you'd  do  it." 

"Now,  w^'ve  got  to  bear  back  toward  the  left,  and 
then  approach  the  cliff." 

"An'  on  our  way  find  out  jest  what  the  warriors 
attackin'  it  are  up  to." 

They  began  a  new  trail,  and  with  the  utmost  exer- 
cise of  skill  and  caution  undertook  to  reach  their 
comrades. 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE  KEEPERS  OF  THE  CLEFT 

HENRY  and  the  shiftless  one  had  not  gone 
far,  before  they  were  deeply  grateful  that 
the  undergrowth  was  so  dense.  They  dis- 
tinctly heard  three  shots  and  twice  the  war  whoop. 
A  small  gully,  so  thickly  covered  with  vines  and 
bushes,  that  it  was  almost  like  a  subterranean  chan- 
nel, allowed  them  to  go  much  nearer.  There  lying 
hidden  until  twilight,  they  distinctly  heard  scat- 
tered firing,  war  whoops  and  then  a  long  piercing 
shout  which  had  in  it  the  quality  of  the  white  man's 
voice.  Shi f 'less  Sol  laughed  low,  but  with  intense 
pleasure. 

'T  can't  hear  his  words,"  he  said,  "but  I'd  know 
that  yell  in  a  million.  It's  Long  Jim's  ez  shore  ez 
shootin'.  It's  so  pow'ful  loud  'cause  it's  drawed  up 
from  a  long  distance,  an'  when  it  does  come  free  it 
comes  a-poppin'.  It's  Jim  tellin'  them  warriors  what 
he  thinks  of  'em.  He's  tellin'  'em  what  scalawags 
they  are,  an'  how  their  fathers  an'  mothers  an'  grand- 
fathers an'  grandmothers  afore  'em  wuz  ez  bad  or 
wuss.     He's  tellin'  'em  they're  squaws  painted  up  to 

164 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

look  like  men,  an'  ez  he  talks  Shawnee  an'  Miami 
they're  hoppin'  mad." 

Henry  even  could  not  refrain  from  laughing.  It 
was  Long  Jim's  voice  beyond  a  doubt,  and  his  note  of 
triumph  showed  that  he  and  his  comrades  were  safe — 
so  far.  Evidently  he  was  in  great  fettle.  His  words 
shot  forth  in  a  stream  and  Henry  knew  that  the  sav- 
ages were  writhing  in  anger  at  his  taunts.  The  re- 
port of  a  rifle  came  suddenly  and  echoed  through  the 
darkening  forest.  When  the  last  echo  died  there  was 
a  moment  of  silence,  and  then  to  their  welcome  ears 
came  the  voice  of  Long  Jim  again,  pouring  forth  a 
stream  of  taunt  and  invective  with  undiminished  speed 
and  power. 

"Ain't  he  the  great  one?"  whispered  Shif'less  Sol, 
admiringly.  "Didn't  I  tell  you  that  voice  o'  his  was 
so  strong  'cause  it  come  up  so  fur.  An'  did  you  ever 
hear  him  do  better?  Thar  ain't  a  word  in  the  hull 
Shawnee  an'  Miami  languages  that  he  hasn't  used  on 
'em  an'  a  sprinkling  o'  Wyandot  an'  Delaware  too. 
They're  so  mad  I  kin  see  'em  bitin'  their  lips  an'  t'arin' 
at  thar  scalp  locks.    Good  old  Jim,  give  it  to  'em !" 

The  voice  went  on  a  quarter  of  an  hour  with  amaz- 
ing force  and  speed.  Then  it  ceased  abruptly  and 
silence  and  darkness  together  came  over  the  woods. 
Henry  and  his  comrade  debated  as  they  lay  in  the  little 
gully.  Should  they  try  to  get  in  to  their  comrades? 
Or  should  they  try  to  get  their  comrades  out?  Either 
would  be  a  most  difficult  task,  but  as  the  night  deep- 
ened, and  they  talked  they  came  to  a  decision. 

"It  has  to  be  me,"  said  Henry. 

i6s 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"I  s'pose  so,"  said  Sol,  regretfully.  "You're  the 
likeliest  hand  at  it,  but  you  always  take  the  most  dan- 
gerous part.  It's  nothin'  fur  me  to  lay  'roun'  here  in 
the  night  till  you  fellers  come." 

Henry's  smile  was  invisible  in  the  dusk. 

"Of  course,  Sol,"  he  said,  "you  run  no  risk.  I  read 
once  in  a  book,  that  our  teacher  had  at  Wareville, 
about  an  outdoor  amusement  they  called  a  lawn  fes- 
tival. That's  what  you're  going  to  have,  a  lawn 
festival.  While  I'm  gone  you'll  walk  about  here  and 
pick  flowers  for  bouquets.  If  any  savage  warrior 
wanting  your  scalp  should  come  along  he'd  change 
his  mind  at  once,  and  help  you  make  your  bou- 
quet." 

"Stop  your  foolishness,  Henry.  You  know  it  ain't 
no  hard  job  fur  me  to  hang  'bout  in  the  woods  an'  keep 
out  o'  danger." 

"Yes,  but  you  may  have  a  lot  to  do  when  you  hear 
the  signals.  Keep  as  close  as  you  reasonably  can,  Sol, 
and  if  we  come  out  and  give  the  howl  of  the  wolf  you 
answer,  according  to  our  custom,  and  we'll  know 
which  way  to  run." 

"All  right,  Henry.  I  won't  be  sleepin'.  Thar  they 
are  shootin'  ag'in,  but  not  doin'  any  yellin'.  So  they 
haven't  hit  anythin'.  Good-bye,  an'  rec'lect  that  I'll 
be  waitin'  here." 

Strong  hands  clasped  in  the  darkness  and  Henry 
slipped  away  on  his  perilous  mission,  reaching  without 
event  the  valley  that  the  cliff  overlooked.  Then  he 
used  all  the  caution  and  skill  that  the  superman  of 
the  forest  possessed,  creeping  closer  and  closer  and 

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THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

ever  closer,  until  he  could  see,  despite  the  darkness, 
the  painted  forms  of  Miami  and  Shawnee  warriors 
in  the  thickets,  all  looking  up  at  the  point  where  the 
crevice  in  the  cliff  was  practically  hidden  by  the  foli- 
age. It  was  an  average  night,  quiet  and  dark  up  there, 
but  Henry  knew  that  three  pairs  of  good  eyes  in  the 
coign  of  the  crevice  were  watching  everything  that 
went  on  below. 

He  crouched  lower  and  lower,  until  he  blended  with 
earth  and  thicket  and  still  watched.  He  saw  one  of 
the  warriors  raise  his  rifle  and  fire  at  the  hidden  mark. 
Then  he  heard  two  impacts  of  the  bullet,  first  as  it 
struck  upon  stone,  and  then  as  glancing,  it  fell  among 
the  leaves.  Out  of  the  mouth  of  the  fissure  came  a 
great  booming  voice,  speaking  Shawnee  and  ridiculing 
their  lack  of  skill  with  the  rifle. 

The  voice  said  that  if  they  did  not  improve  in  their 
firing  he  would  come  outside,  sit  in  the  best  moonlight 
he  could  find,  and  let  them  take  turns  at  him  as  a 
target.  He  would  even  mark  off  spots  on  his  chest 
and  offer  prizes  to  any  one  who  might  hit  them,  but 
he  knew  very  well  that  none  of  them  would  ever  suc- 
ceed. If  he  had  a  six-year-old  boy  who  should  do  as 
badly  as  they  were  doing  he  would  take  him  away  and 
whip  him  with  willow  switches. 

Henry,  lying  close  in  his  covert,  laughed  inwardly. 
Long  Jim  was  in  good  form.  Upon  occasion  he  had 
a  wonderful  command  of  language,  and  the  present 
occasion  was  better  than  any  other  that  Henry  could 
remember.  Events,  chief  of  which  was  a  successful 
defense,  had  inspired  in  him  a  wonderful  flow  of  lan- 

167 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

guage.  His  great  sonorous  voice  again  pealed  out 
wrath,  defiance  and  contempt. 

"Oh,  you  dogs!  sons  uv  dogs!  an'  grandsons  uv 
dogs!"  he  shouted.  "Why  don't  you  come  an'  take 
us?  Here  we  are,  only  a  few,  jest  settin'  an'  waitin' 
fur  you!  An'  thar  are  twenty  or  more  uv  you!  Oh, 
you  Shawnees  an'  Miamis,  an'  Wyandots,  why  are 
you  waitin'  down  thar  when  jest  a  few  uv  us  are  up 
here,  ready  to  give  you  welcome  ?  I  don't  think  you're 
re'lly  warriors.  You're  jest  old  squaws  painted  up 
to  look  like  'em,  an'  the  real  fightin'  men  uv  your  tribe 
are  at  home,  asleep  in  the  lodges,  afraid  to  face  the 
bullets  uv  the  white  men,  while  they  send  thar  old 
women  here  to  make  a  noise!" 

Henry  laughed  again  that  soundless  laugh  behind 
his  teeth.  He  read  everything  as  plainly  as  if  it  had 
been  written  in  a  book  before  him.  Nobody  in  the 
stony  hollow  had  been  hurt,  else  Long  Jim's  voice 
would  not  have  been  so  exultant.  They  were  confi- 
dent, too,  that  they  could  hold  the  narrow  opening 
indefinitely,  else  he  would  not  have  sent  forth  such 
intolerable  taunts.  He  made  his  position  a  little 
easier  and  again  laughed  deep  in  his  throat  and  with 
unction.  He  had  never  known  Long  Jim  to  be  in  finer 
form.  Shi  f 'less  Sol  was  the  acknowledged  orator  of 
the  five,  but  tonight  the  cloak  of  inspiration  was 
spread  over  the  shoulders  of  Long  Jim. Hart. 

"Why  don't  you  come  into  our  little  house?"  he 
shouted.  "It's  a  nice  place,  a  warm  place,  an'  the  rain 
can't  git  at  you  here.  Won't  you  walk  into  our  parlor, 
ez  the  spider  said  to  the  fly !    It's  a  good  place,  better 

l68 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

than  any  wigwam  you've  got,  nice  an'  warm,  with  a 
roof  that  the  rain  can't  get  through,  an'  plenty  of  cool 
runnin'  water!  An'  ef  you  want  our  scalps  you'd 
never  find  grander  heads  uv  ha'r.  They're  the  finest 
an'  longest  an'  thickest  that  ever  grew  on  the  head  uv 
man.  They're  jest  waitin'  to  be  took.  Any  warrior 
who  took  one  uv  'em  would  be  made  a  chief  right 
away.  Why  don't  you  come  on  an'  git  'em  ?  It  can't 
be  that  you're  afraid,  you  Shawnees  and  Miamis  an' 
Delawares  an'  Wyandots.  Here's  our  gyarden,  jest 
waitin'  fur  you,  the  door  open  an'  full  uv  good  things. 
Why  don't  you  come  on?  Ef  I  had  a  dog  an'  told 
him  to  run  after  a  b'ar  cub  an'  he  wouldn't  run  I'd  kill 
him  fur  a  coward!" 

Henry  heard  a  roar  of  rage  from  the  thickets,  and 
once  more  he  laughed  behind  his  teeth.  Long  Jim 
Hart  was  still  in  his  grandest  form,  and  although  many 
Indian  chiefs  were  great  orators,  masters  of  taunt  and 
satire,  Long  Jim,  inspired  that  night,  was  the  equal  of 
their  best.    The  gift  of  tongues  had  come  to  him. 

"I  heard  a  noise  down  thar  in  the  holler!"  he 
shouted.  "Wuz  it  made  by  warriors,  men?  No!  it 
wuz  dogs  barkin'  an'  crows  cawin'  an'  wolves  whinin* 
an'  rabbits  squeakin'.  Sech  ez  them  would  never  come 
up  ag'in  a  white  man's  rifle.  I  hear  the  wind  blowin' 
too,  but  it  don't  bring  me  no  sound  'cept  that  uv  dogs 
barkin',  low-down  curs  that  would  run  away  from  a 
chipmunk  with  their  tails  atween  their  legs.  I'm  git- 
tin'  mighty  tired  now  uv  waitin'  fur  them  that  called 
theirselves  warriors,  but  are  nothin'  but  old  squaws 
in  war  paint.     Ef  I  don't  hear  from  'em  ag'in  soon 

169 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

I'll  go  to  sleep  an'  leave  here  my  little  boy,  ten  years 
old,  to  meet  'em  with  a  switch  ez  they  come  up." 

There  was  another  roar  of  rage  from  the  brush,  and 
Henry  said  under  his  breath  : 

"Well  done,  Long  Jim!  Well  done,  twice  and 
again !" 

Long  Jim  now  softened  his  voice  and  began  to  beg. 

"Why  don't  you  come  up  here,  you  red  Indian 
fellers?"  he  cried.  "All  my  friends,  knowin'  thar  is 
no  danger,  hev  gone  to  sleep,  leavin'  me  to  welcome 
the  guests,  when  they  stan'  afore  our  door.  I'm 
waitin'!  I've  been  waitin'  a  long  time,  an'  ef  you 
don't  come  soon  I'll  hev  to  go  to  sleep  leavin'  you 
outside  our  door." 

The  Indians  were  always  susceptible  to  oratory  and 
now  another  shout  of  rage  came  from  them.  The 
taunts  of  Long  Jim  were  too  much,  and  a  dozen  dusky 
forms  sprang  from  the  undergrowth  and  rushed  up 
the  slope.  There  w^as  a  puff  of  smoke  from  the  cleft 
in  the  cliff  and  the  foremost  warrior  fell,  shot  squarely 
through  the  forehead.  A  second  puff  and  a  second 
w-arrior  was  gone  to  a  land  where  the  hunting  is  al- 
ways good.  Before  such  accurate  shooting  with  only 
the  moonlight  to  aid,  the  other  warriors  shrank  back 
appalled,  and  quickly  hid  themselves  in  the  under- 
grow1:h. 

"Good  boys!  Good  boys!"  exclaimed  Henry  under 
his  breath.  "Splendid  shooting!  They're  bold  war- 
riors who  will  now  face  the  Keepers  of  the  Pass." 

All  the  warriors  save  the  two  who  had  been  slain 
were  hidden  in  the  dense  thicket  or  behind  stony  out- 

170 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

croppings,  and  again  the  tremendous  voice  of  Long 
Jim  floated  on  waves  of  air  above  them. 

"Why  don't  you  keep  comin'?'*  he  shouted.  *'T 
invited  you  to  come  an'  you  started,  but  you've 
stopped !  Everythin'  is  waitin*  fur  you,  all  the  gaudy 
Roman  couches  that  my  friend  Paul  has  told  me 
about,  an'  the  gushin'  fountains,  an'  the  wreaths  uv 
rose  leaves  to  wrap  aroun'  your  necks,  an'  the  roses 
droppin'  from  the  ceilin'  on  the  table  loaded  with 
ven'son,  an'  turkey,  an'  wild  pigeons,  an'  rabbits  an' 
more  other  kinds  uv  game  than  I  kin  tell  you  about 
in  a  night.  Why  don't  you  come  on  an'  take  the  big 
places  you're  invited  to  at  our  banquet,  you  miser'ble, 
low-down,  sneakin',  wTinkled  old  squaws!" 

A  wild  yell  of  rage  came  once  more  from  the  bushes, 
and  again  Henry  laughed  deep  in  his  throat.  He  knew 
how  the  taunt  stung  the  Indians,  and  Long  Jim's  elo- 
quence, the  dam  now  having  been  taken  down,  flooded 
on. 

''Here,  you  red-skinned  barbarians!"  he  shouted. 
"Come  into  our  house  an'  w^e'U  teach  you  how  to  live  I 
The  tables  are  all  set  an'  the  couches  are  beside  'em. 
The  hummin'  birds'  tongues  are  done  to  a  turn  an' 
the  best  singers  an'  dancers  are  all  on  hand  to  enter- 
tain you !" 

Henry  knew  that  Jim's  patter  had  come  from  Paul's 
stories  of  the  old  Romans,  and  now  he  was  applying 
it  with  gusto  to  the  wild  scene  lost  in  the  vast  green 
wilderness.  But  he  was  sure  that  the  Indians  would 
not  return  to  a  headlong  charge.  The  little  fortress 
in  stone  was  practically  impregnable  to  frontal  attack 

171 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

and  they  would  resort  instead  to  cunning  and  subter- 
fuge. 

**Ain*t  you  comin'!"  thundered  the  voice  of  Long 
Jim.  *'I  hev  done  give  you  an  invite  to  the  banquet 
an'  you  stop  an'  hang  'roun'  thar  in  the  woods,  whar 
I  can't  see  you.  Five  minutes  more  an'  the  invites 
are  all  withdrawed.  Then  the  eatin'  an'  the  singin' 
an'  the  play  in'  will  all  go  on  without  you,  an'  ef  you 
are  found  hangin'  'roun'  our  door  I'll  hev  the  dogs 
to  chase  you  away." 

No  answer  came  from  the  woods,  but  Henry  knew 
how  the  hearts  of  the  warriors  were  consumed  with 
rage.  Those  whom  they  wished  to  take  were  so  near 
and  so  few  and  yet  they  held  an  almost  invincible 
fortress.     Rage  stabbed  at  the  Indian  heart. 

Long  Jim  continued  his  taunts  for  some  time, 
speaking  both  Shawnee  and  Miami,  and  also  a  little 
Wyandot  and  Delaware.  His  vocabulary  acquired  a 
sudden  richness  and  depth.  He  called  them  names  that 
implied  every  manner  of  cowardice  and  meanness. 
Their  ancestors  had  been  buzzards  feeding  on  offal, 
they  themselves  were  mangy,  crippled  and  deformed, 
and,  when  the  few  that  were  left  alive  by  the  white 
men  returned  home,  they  would  be  set  to  work  cooking, 
and  caring  for  the  lodges.  When  they  died  they  would 
return  to  the  base  forms  of  their  ancestors.  They 
would  be  snakes  and  toads  and  turtles,  and  the  animals 
that  walked  on  four  legs  and  looked  straight  before 
them  would  laugh  at  them  whenever  they  saw  them. 

Long  Jim  had  never  before  been  so  eloquent,  and 
never  before  had  his  voice  been  so  unctuous.     He 

172 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

thundered  forth  challenges  and  insults  after  the  Indian 
fashion.  He  told  them  that  he  and  his  comrades 
found  it  a  poor  amusement  to  fight  with  such  men, 
but  when  they  finished  with  their  eating  and  drinking 
and  sleeping  they  might  go  north  to  the  Indian  villages 
and  whip  the  warriors  in  the  presence  of  their  squaws 
w^ith  willow  switches.  Meanwhile  they  intended  to 
sleep  and  rest,  but  if  any  of  the  old  women  out  there 
came  into  their  cavern  and  annoyed  their  slumbers  he 
would  chase  every  one  of  them  out  with  a  switch. 

Henry  laughed  long  in  his  throat.  Long  Jim  was 
proving  himself  a  forest  warrior  of  the  first  quality. 
It  was  the  way  of  the  woods,  and  these  taunts  stung 
the  red  men  to  the  quick.  He  knew  that  they  were 
lying  in  the  bushes,  their  hearts  beating  heavily  with 
anger  and  the  hot  breath  burning  their  lips.  Two, 
unable  to  restrain  themselves,  fired,  but  their  bullets 
merely  rebounded  from  the  stone  walls  of  the  grotto, 
and  the  defenders  did  not  deign  to  answer. 

Then  came  a  long  period  of  silence  and  Henry  made 
himself  as  small  and  obscure  as  possible,  lest  the  war- 
riors, moving  about,  might  see  him.  But,  fortunately 
the  night  had  now  turned  quite  dark,  and  where  eyes 
might  fail  his  acute  sense  of  hearing  would  reveal  the 
approach  of  any  enemy.  But  as  he  lay  close  he  again 
laughed  inwardly  more  than  once.  The  three  were 
certainly  holding  the  grotto  in  most  gallant  fashion, 
and  Long  Jim  was  fast  becoming  one  of  the  greatest 
orators  of  the  woods.  He  did  not  believe  that  the 
Indians  could  carry  the  fortress,  but  to  get  them  out 
and  away  was  another  and  much  harder  problem. 

173 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Absolute  silence  save  for  the  whispering  of  a  light 
wind  through  the  leaves  came  over  the  forest.  The 
night,  to  Henry's  great  joy,  grew  much  darker.  No 
sound  came  from  the  room  in  the  cliff,  nor  did  any 
come  from  the  Indians  in  the  thickets.  Apparently 
the  whole  place  was  a  wilderness,  as  lone  and  desolate 
as  it  w^as  when  it  first  emerged  from  the  sea.  No- 
where was  the  sign  of  a  human  being  visible,  but 
Henry  knew  that  vigilant  eyes  watched  at  the  mouth 
of  the  stone  cleft  and  that  eyes  equally  as  keen  peered 
continually  from  the  thickets. 

But  he  meant  to  join  his  comrades  before  dawn. 
He  did  not  know  yet  just  how  he  would  do  it,  but  such 
w^as  his  confidence  that  he  felt  quite  sure  he  w^ould  be 
with  his  comrades  before  the  rising  of  the  sun. 

Luckily  the  forest  and  thickets  in  the  valley  were 
extremely  dense,  enabling  him  to  lie  within  a  couple 
of  hundred  yards  of  the  besieging  force,  and  not  fear 
detection.  His  figure  in  its  green  clothing  blended 
perfectly  with  the  green  bushes. 

The  night  turned  colder,  and  after  a  while  a  chilly 
drizzle  began  to  fall.  Henry,  hardened  to  all  kinds 
of  weather,  and  intent  upon  his  task,  took  no  note  of 
it,  except  to  be  glad  that  it  had  come,  because  it  would 
further  his  aims.  Night  and  storm  might  enable  him 
to  slip  past  the  besiegers  and  join  his  friends. 

But  the  Indians,  who  do  not  despise  comfort  when 
there  is  no  danger  in  it,  gathered  in  a  cup  in  the  side 
of  the  hill,  beyond  rifle  shot  from  the  hollow,  and 
built  a  fire.  Henry,  from  his  lair  in  the  bushes,  saw 
them  distinctly,  about  thirty  warriors,  mostly  of  the 

174 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

Shawnee  tribe,  with  their  head  chief,  Red  Eagle  him- 
self, present  as  a  leader,  and  the  two  renegades  Brax- 
ton Wyatt  and  Blackstaffe.  Henry  noted  Blackstaffe 
and  Wyatt  closely  and  his  heart  thrilled  with  anger 
that  they  should  turn  against  their  own  people  and 
use  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  and  even  stand 
beside  the  stake  to  w^itness  their  slow  death  by  the 
torture  of  fire. 

Blackstaffe*  was  one  of  the  worst  of  all  the  rene- 
gades, second  only  to  Girty  in  cruelty  and  cunning, 
a  scourge  of  the  border  destined  to  meet  his  fate  from 
an  avenging  bullet  years  later,  just  after  the  Fallen 
Timbers,  w^here  Wayne  crushed  the  allied  tribes.  Now 
he  w^as  a  young  man,  tall,  heavily  built  and  tanned 
almost  as  dark  as  an  Indian  by  weather.  He  and 
Braxton  Wyatt  had  become  close  friends,  and  both 
stood  high  in  the  councils  of  the  Indians.  Henry  saw 
them  clearly  now,  outlined  against  the  firelight,  en- 
gaged in  close  talk  wdth  the  middle-aged  Shawnee 
chief,  Red  Eagle. 

Henry  had  much  more  respect  for  Red  Eagle  than 
for  the  renegades.  The  Indian  might  be  cruel,  he 
might  delight  in  the  terrible  sufferings  he  inflicted 
upon  a  captured  enemy,  but  it  was  the  immemorial 
custom  of  his  race  and,  in  fighting  the  w^hite  people, 
he  was  fighting  those  who  would  some  day,  far  dis- 
tant though  it  might  be,  turn  the  great  hunting 
grounds  into  farms.  Henry,  so  much  a  son  of  the 
wild  himself,  could  understand  him,  but  for  the  rene- 

*  The  fate  of  Blackstaffe  is  told  in  the  author's  novel,  "  The  Wil- 
derness Road." 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

gades  he  had  no  sympathy  whatever.  In  all  lands  and 
in  all  the  history  of  the  world  renegades  have  been 
hated  and  detested. 

He  judged  by  the  fact  that  the  head  chief  of  the 
Shawnees  and  the  two  renegades  had  remained  that 
they  considered  the  taking  of  the  little  fort  in  the  cliff 
of  great  importance.  Doubtless  they  imagined  that 
all  of  the  five  were  now  inside,  and  it  would  rejoice 
the  heart  of  Shawnee  and  Miami  alike  if  they  could 
slay  them  all,  or  better  still,  take  them  alive,  and  put 
them  to  the  torture.  There  were  some  old  defeats 
that  yet  galled  and  stung,  and  for  which  revenge 
would  be  sweet.  Henry  recalled  these  things  and  he 
knew  that  the  siege  would  be  close  and  bitter. 

The  Indians,  feeling  secure  from  any  enemy,  pres- 
ently sat  in  a  circle  about  the  fire,  drawing  their 
blankets  over  their  shoulders  to  protect  themselves 
from  the  drizzling  rain.  Henry  surmised  that  several 
warriors  were  on  watch  near  the  mouth  of  the  cave, 
and  that  those  in  the  main  body  would  take  their  ease 
before  the  coals.  His  surmise  proved  to  be  correct, 
as  they  appeared  to  relax  and  to  be  talking  freely. 
They  also  took  venison  from  deerskin  pouches  and 
ate.  It  reminded  Henry  that  he  was  hungry  and  he 
too  took  out  and  ate  a  portion  of  Shif'less  Sol's  stolen 
bear  steak  that  he  had  saved. 

He  did  not  move  for  another  hour.  Meanwhile  the 
w^ind  rose,  driving  the  drizzling  rain  like  sleet,  and 
moaning  down  the  gorge.  Save  for  the  Indians 
crouched  around  the  fire  no  more  desolate  scene  might 
have  been  witnessed  on  the  continent.     The  old,  pri- 

176 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

meval  world  had  come  back,  and  forgotten  monsters 
ranged  the  woods  while  man,  weaponless  save  for  his 
club,  crouched  in  his  cave  and  listened  with  terror  to 
the  snarls  of  the  great  animals,  so  much  more  powerful 
than  himself. 

It  seemed  to  him  then,  w^hen  the  influence  of  the 
wilderness  and  its  immensity  and  desolation  were  so 
strong,  that  he  might  have  lived  in  some  such  time 
himself,  ages  and  ages  ago.  It  might  have  been  the 
stories  of  Paul  or  it  might  have  been  some  dim  herit- 
age from  a  dimmer  past  that  made  him,  as  he  lay 
there  under  the  soaking  bushes,  call  up  visions  of  the 
great  beasts  that  once  stalked  the  earth,  the  mam- 
moth and  the  mastodon,  the  cave  bear,  the  saber- 
toothed  tiger,  gigantic  leopards  and  hyenas,  and  back 
of  them  the  terrific  stegosaurus  in  his  armor-like  hide 
and  all  his  awful  kin.  Henry  was  glad  that  he  had 
not  lived  in  such  a  time. 

The  fire,  even  though  it  was  that  of  men  who  would 
gladly  scalp  him  and  torture  him  to  death,  brought 
back  the  present  and  the  living  and  throbbing  realities 
of  life.  With  his  rifle  he  was  more  than  a  match  for 
any  beast  that  roamed  the  North  American  wilderness, 
and  in  cunning  and  craft  he  could  meet  the  savages 
at  their  own  game. 

Apparently  the  Indians  around  the  fire  had  now 
ceased  to  talk.  They  sat  in  a  circle,  bent  a  little  for- 
ward, and  some  had  drawn  their  blankets  over  their 
heads.  The  fire  was  a  great  mass  of  coals  and  Henry 
knew  that  it  threw  out  an  abundant  heat.  He  envied 
them  a  little.    He  w^as  just  beginning  to  feel  the  effects 

1/7 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

of  the  cold  rain,  but  their  bodies  glowed  with  warmth. 

Meantime  the  roaring  of  the  wind  in  the  valley  was 
growing  and  in  the  confined  space  there  were  many 
tones  in  its  voice,  now  a  shriek,  and  now  a  howl.  In 
spite  of  himself  the  ancient  monsters  of  the  primeval 
world  came  back  again  and  these  were  the  sounds  they 
uttered  in  their  rage.  He  shuddered  a  little,  then 
shook  himself  and  by  the  mere  power  of  will  forced 
the  return  of  the  present. 

He  reckoned  that  the  time  had  come  for  him  to 
make  his  attempt.  Doubtless  the  sentinels  were  on 
the  slope  near  the  mouth  of  the  cleft,  but  they  must 
be  chilled  to  some  extent  by  the  cold  rain,  and,  after 
such  a  long  silence,  would  naturally  relax  their  vig- 
ilance. He  had  protected  his  weapons  from  the  rain 
with  his  buckskin  hunting  shirt,  and  he  flexed  his  arms 
and  muscles  to  see  that  they  had  not  grown  stiff  from 
such  a  long  stay  in  one  position. 

He  began  to  creep  through  the  bushes  to  the  bottom 
of  the  valley  and  then  up  the  slope  toward  the  little 
fortress,  and  in  the  task  he  called  into  play  all  his 
natural  and  acquired  powers.  An  eye  looking  down 
would  have  taken  him  for  a  large  animal  stalking  his 
prey  with  infinite  cunning  and  cleverness.  The  bushes 
scarcely  moved  as  he  passed,  and  he  made  no  sound 
but  the  faintest  sliding  motion,  audible  only  four  or 
five  feet  away. 

The  strain  upon  his  body  was  very  great.  He  did 
not  really  crawl,  but  edged  himself  forward  with  a 
series  of  muscular  efforts.  It  was  painfully  slow,  but 
it  was  necessary,  because  the  Indian  ears  were  acute, 

178 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

and  the  rustling  of  a  bush  or  the  breaking  of  a  twig 
would  draw  their  instant  attention. 

As  he  drew  himself  slowly  on,  like  a  great  serpent, 
he  watched  for  the  Indian  sentinels,  and  at  last  he 
saw  one,  a  Shawnee  warrior  crouched  in  the  lee  of  a 
huge  tree  trunk  to  shelter  himself  from  the  driving 
rain,  but  always  looking  toward  the  mouth  of  the 
hollow  in  the  cliff. 

Henry,  inch  by  inch,  bore  aw^ay  and  curved  about 
him.  Twice  he  thought  the  sentinel  had  heard  some- 
thing unusual,  but  in  each  case  he  fay  flat  and  silent, 
while  the  wind  continued  to  shriek  down  the  valley, 
driving  the  chill  rain  before  it.  Each  time  the  sus- 
picions of  the  watcher  passed  and  Henry  moved  slowly 
on,  infinite  patience  allied  with  infinite  skill.  If  there 
was  anything  in  heredity  and  reincarnation  he  w-as 
the  greatest  tracker  and  hunter  in  that  old  primeval 
w^orld,  w'here  such  skill  ranked  first  among  human 
qualities.  As  ahvays  with  him,  his  will  and  courage 
rose  with  the  danger.  Crouched  in  the  bush  fifteen 
feet  away  he  looked  at  the  warrior,  a  powerful  fellow, 
brawny  in  the  chest  but  thin  in  the  legs,  as  was  usual 
among  them.  The  Indian's  eyes  swept  continuously 
in  a  half  circle,  but  they  did  not  see  the  great  figure 
lying  so  near,  and  holding  his  life  on  the  touch  of  a 
trigger. 

Henry  laughed  deep  in  his  throat.  All  the  wild 
blood  in  him  w^as  alive  and  leaping.  He  even  felt  a 
certain  exultation  in  the  situation,  one  that  would  have 
appalled  an  ordinary  scout  and  stalker,  but  w^hich  drew 
from  him  only  supreme  courage  and  utmost  mastery 

179 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

in  woodcraft.  He  felt  within  him  the  supreme  cer- 
tainty that  he  would  succeed,  and  bending  away  from 
the  sentinel  he  resumed  that  slow,  sliding  motion. 

He  was  sure  that  he  would  find  on  his  right  another 
w^arrior  on  watch,  and,  as  he  was  moving  in  that 
direction,  he  looked  closely.  He  saw  him  presently, 
a  tall  fellow,  standing  erect  among  some  bushes,  his 
rifle  in  the  crook  of  his  arm.  He  seemed  discontented 
with  his  situation — even  the  savage  can  get  too  much 
of  cold  and  wet — and  presently  he  moved  a  little 
further  to  the  right,  as  if  he  would  seek  some  sort  of 
shelter  from  the  rain.  Then  Henry  crept  straight 
forward  toward  the  fortress  of  his  friends,  a  scant 
fifty  yards  away. 

But  he  did  not  assume  that  he  had  yet  succeeded. 
He  knew  how  thoroughly  the  Indians  kept  watch  upon 
a  foe,  whom  they  expected  to  take,  and  there  must  be 
other  sentinels,  or  at  least  one,  and  bearing  that  fact 
in  mind  his  progress  became  still  slower.  He  merely 
went  forward  inch  by  inch,  and  he  was  so  careful  that 
the  bushes  above  him  did  not  shake.  All  the  while 
his  eyes  roved  about  in  search  of  that  lone  last  sentinel 
whom  he  was  sure  the  Indians  had  posted  near  the 
entrance,  in  order  to  check  any  attempt  at  an  es- 
cape. 

Although  it  was  very  dark  his  eyes  had  grown  used 
to  it  and  he  could  see  some  distance.  Yet  his  range 
of  vision  was  not  broken  by  the  figure  of  any  warrior, 
and  he  began  to  wonder.  Could  the  vigilance  of  the 
savages  have  relaxed  ?  Was  it  possible  that  they  were 
keeping   no   guard   near   the   entrance?     While   he 

i8o 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

was  wondering  he  crept  directly  upon  the  sentinel. 

He  was  a  huge  savage,  inured  to  cold  and  wet  and 
he  had  lain  almost  flat  in  the  grass.  Hearing  a  slight 
sound  scarce  a  yard  away  he  turned  and  the  eyes  of 
red  forest  runner  and  white  forest  runner  looked  into 
one  another.  Henry  was  the  first  to  recover  from  his 
surprise  and  the  single  second  of  time  was  worth  dia- 
monds and  rubies  to  him.  Dropping  his  rifle  he 
reached  out  both  powerful  hands  and  seized  the 
warrior.  The  loud  cry  of  alarm  that  had  started  from 
the  chest  never  got  past  the  barrier  of  those  fingers, 
and  the  compressing  grasp  was  so  deadly  that  the 
Indian's  hands  did  not  reach  for  tomahawk  or  knife. 
Instead  they  flew  up  instinctively  and  tried  to  tear 
away  those  fingers  of  iron.  But  the  man  of  old  might 
as  well  have  tried  to  escape  from  the  jaws  of  the  saber- 
toothed  tiger. 

The  great  forest  runner  was  exerting  all  his  immense 
strength,  and  he  was  nerved,  too,  by  the  imminent 
danger  to  his  friends  and  himself.  No  slightest  sound 
must  escape  from  the  red  throat.  A  single  cry  would 
reach  the  warriors  below,  and  then  the  whole  yelling 
pack  would  be  upon  him.  The  warrior's  hands 
grasped  his  wrists  and  pulled  at  them  frantically.  He 
was  a  powerful  savage  with  muscles  like  knotted  ropes, 
but  there  was  no  man  in  all  the  wilderness  who  could 
break  that  grasp.  His  breath  came  fitfully,  his  face 
became  swollen  and  then  Henry,  turning  him  over  on 
his  back,  took  his  fingers  away. 

The  warrior  was  not  dead,  but  he  would  revive 
slowly  and  painfully  and  for  days  there  would  be  ten 

i8i 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

red  and  sore  spots  on  his  throat,  where  the  fingers  had 
sunk  in.  An  ordinary  scout  would  have  thrust  his 
knife  at  once  into  the  heart  of  the  warrior.  It  would 
have  been  the  safest  way,  but  Henry  could  not  do  it. 
He  saw  the  great  chest  of  the  savage  trembling  as  the 
breath  sought  a  way  to  his  lungs.  He  took  his  rifle, 
powder  horn,  bullet  pouch,  tomahawk  and  knife,  and, 
bending  low  in  the  foliage,  ran  swiftly  for  the  mouth 
of  the  cave. 

He  was  quite  confident  that  the  fallen  warrior  was 
the  last  sentinel,  and  as  he  approached  the  entrance 
he  called  again  and  again  in  a  loud  whisper : 

"Don't  fire !    Don't  fire !    It's  me,  Henry !" 

At  last  came  the  whisper  in  reply: 

"All  right,  Henry,  we're  waitin'." 

He  recognized  the  voice  of  Silent  Tom,  and  the 
next  instant  he  was  inside,  his  hand  and  that  of  Tom 
Ross  meeting  in  a  powerful  grasp,  while  Paul  and 
Long  Jim,  aroused  from  sleep,  expressed  their  delight 
in  low  words  and  strong  handshakes. 

"How  in  thunder  did  you  git  in,  Henry  ?'*  asked 
Long  Jim. 

"I  was  brought  in  a  sedan  chair  by  four  strong 
Indians,  Wyatt  walking  on  one  side  and  Blackstaffe 
on  the  other  as  an  escort.  I  told  them  that  of  all 
places  in  the  world  this  was  the  one  to  which  I  wished 
most  to  come,  and  they  put  me  down  at  the  door,  their 
modesty  compelling  them  to  withdraw." 

"It's  mighty  good  to  see  you  again,  Henry,  no 
matter  how  you  got  here,"  said  Paul.  "Where  is 
Sol?" 

ZS2 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

"Safe  outside,  just  as  Fm  safe  inside.  I  think  Fll 
let  him  know  that  Fve  been  successful." 

Standing  just  within  the  entrance  he  emitted  the 
long-drawn  howl  of  the  wolf,  piercing  and  carrying 
singularly  far.  They  waited  a  moment  or  two  in 
breathless  silence,  and  then  on  the  edge  of  the  shriek- 
ing wind  came  a  similar  reply,  fierce,  long  and  snarl- 
ing. Henry  gave  the  howl  again  and  as  before  came 
the  answer  in  like  fashion.  It  was  the  wilderness 
signal,  made  complete. 

"It's  Sol,"  Henry  said.  "I  know  now  that  he's 
there,  and  he  knows  that  I'm  here.  The  first  part  of 
our  task  is  done." 

A  yell  of  rage  and  disappointment  came  from  the 
valley  below.  It  was  so  fierce  that  the  air  seemed  to 
pulse  with  angry  weaves. 

"What's  the  matter  down  there,  I  wonder,"  ex- 
claimed Paul. 

"Before  I  could  get  in  here,"  replied  Henry,  "I  had 
to  choke  the  breath  out  of  one  of  their  best  warriors. 
I  fancy  he  has  just  come  to  and  has  told  the  others." 

Then  the  war  cry  died  away  and  there  was  nothing 
but  the  shriek  of  the  wind  that  drove  drops  of  rain 
into  the  opening. 

"How^  long  have  you  been  besieged  here?"  asked 
Henry. 

"Today  and  tonight,"  replied  Paul.  "Either  they 
struck  our  trail  or  some  one  of  them  may  have  been 
in  this  grotto  once.  At  any  rate  a  band  started  up  here 
and  we  were  compelled  to  fire  into  'em.  That's  our 
histor}%  since.     What  have  you  seen?" 

183 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"The  main  army  has  gone  south  with  the  cannon, 
but  Red  Eagle,  Braxton  Wyatt  and  Blackstaffe  are 
here.  If  they  can't  rush  us  they'll  at  least  hold  us 
three  or  four  days,  or  try  mighty  hard.  But  I  want  a 
drink  of  water  I  hear  trickling  over  there.  I'm  thirsty 
from  all  the  crawling  and  creeping  I've  done." 

He  knelt  and  drank  deep  at  the  pure  little  stream. 

"Now,  Henry,"  said  Silent  Tom,  "sence  you've  come 
I  reckon  you're  mighty  tired.  You've  been  trampin' 
about  in  the  woods  a  heap.  So  jest  stretch  out  an'  go 
to  sleep  while  we  watch." 

"I  don't  mind  if  I  do,"  replied  Henry,  who  at  last 
was  beginning  to  feel  the  effects  of  his  immense  exer- 
tions.    "How  are  you  fellows  fixed  for  food?" 

"This  ain't  no  banquet  hall  an'  we  ain't  settin'  din- 
ners fur  kings,"  replied  Long  Jim,  "but  we've  got 
enough  to  last  a  good  while.  Afore  they  found  out 
we  wuz  here  Tom  went  out  one  night  an'  killed  a  deer 
an'  brought  him  in.  While  he  wuz  gone  I  took  the 
trouble  to  gather  some  wood,  which  is  in  the  back  part 
uv  the  place,  but  'cause  o'  smoke  an'  sech  we  ain't 
lighted  any  fire,  an'  no  part  of  the  deer  hez  been 
cooked. 

"I  brought  a  big  piece  of  bear  myself,"  said  Henry, 
unhooking  it  from  his  back,  and  it  was  cooked  by  an 
Indian,  the  best  cook  in  all  these  woods  except  you, 
Jim.  He  wasn't  willing  for  me  to  take  it,  but  here 
it  is." 

Long  Jim  deposited  it  carefully  in  a  corner  and 
covered  it  with  leaves. 

"Ef  people  always  brought  somethin'  when  they; 

184 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    CLEFT 

come  visitin',"  he  said,  "they'd  shorely  be  welcome  ez 
you  are,  Henry.'' 

But  before  he  lay  down  Henry  listened  a  while  at 
the  fortress  mouth,  and  the  others  listened  with  him. 
n  they  heard  shots  it  would  indicate  that  the  Indians 
in  some  manner  had  caught  sight  of  Shif'less  Sol  and 
were  pursuing  him.  But  no  sound  came  out  of  the 
vast  dark  void,  save  the  shriek  of  the  wind  and  the 
beat  of  the  rain.  Henry  had  no  doubt  that  the  warrior 
whom  he  had  choked  nearly  to  death  was  now  with  his 
comrades,  raging  for  vengeance,  and  yet  he  had  been 
spared  when  few  in  like  case  would  have  shown  him 
mercy. 

The  wilderness,  black,  cold  and  soaking,  looked 
unutterably  gloomy,  but  he  felt  no  w^orry  about  those 
whom  he  had  left  behind.  The  shiftless  one  like  him- 
self was  a  true  son  of  the  wilderness  and  he  would  be 
as  clever  as  a  fox  in  finding  a  w^arm,  dry  hole.  They 
had  forged  the  first  link  in  their  intended  chain,  and 
Henry  felt  the  glow  of  success. 

"I  think  ril  go  to  sleep  now,"  he  said.  "I'm  pretty 
well  soaked  with  the  rain,  but  I  managed  to  keep  my 
blanket  dry.  If  the  warriors  attack,  Jim,  wake  me 
up  in  time  to  put  on  my  clothes.  I  wouldn't  like  to  go 
into  a  battle  without  'em. 

He  removed  his  wet  buckskins  and  spread  them  out 
on  the  stone  floor  to  dry.  Then  he  wrapped  himself  in 
his  blanket,  raked  up  some  of  the  dry  leaves  as  a 
couch,  and  lay  down,  feeling  a  double  glow,  that  of 
warmth  and  that  of  success.  What  a  glorious  place  it 
was!    All  things  are  measured  by  contrast.    After  the 

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THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

black  and  cold  wilderness,  swarming-  with  dangers, 
this  was  the  other  extreme.  The  Caesar  in  his  palace 
hall  and  the  Persian  under  his  vaulted  dome  could  not 
feel  so  much  comfort,  nor  yet  so  much  luxury,  as 
Henry  in  this  snug  and  warm  room  in  the  stone  with 
his  brave  and  faithful  friends  around  him. 

Truly  it  was  a  noble  place!  He  heard  the  trickle 
of  the  little  stream,  like  a  jet  of  water  flowing  over 
marble,  and  into  a  marble  fountain.  Above  him  was 
a  stone  ceiling,  carved  by  the  ages,  and  beneath  him 
was  a  stone  floor  made  by  the  same  master  hand.  The 
leaves  were  very  soft  to  one  so  thoroughly  hardened 
of  body  as  he,  and  the  blanket  was  warm.  The  roar- 
ing of  the  wind  outside  was  turned  to  music  here,  and 
it  mingled  pleasantly  with  the  trickle  of  the  little 
stream. 

While  the  forest  runner  was  capable  of  tremendous 
and  long  exertions,  he  also  had  acquired  the  power  of 
complete  relaxation  when  the  time  came.  Nlow  all  of 
Henry's  nerves  were  quiet,  a  deep  peace  came  over 
him  quickly,  and  he  slept. 


CHAPTER    X 


BESIEGED 


HENRY  did  not  awake  the  next  day  after  his 
usual  fashion,  that  is  with  all  his  faculties  and 
senses  alert,  for  the  strain  on  him  had  been 
so  great  that  the  process  required  a  minute  or  two. 
Then  he  looked  around  the  little  fortress  which  so 
aptly  could  be  called  a  hole  in  the  wall.  Many  dried 
leaves  had  been  brought  in  and  placed  in  five  heaps, 
the  fifth  for  Shif'less  Sol  when  he  should  come.  The 
dressed  deer,  rolled  in  leaves,  lay  at  the  far  end.  The 
little  stream  was  trickhng  away,  singing  its  eternal 
pleasant  song,  and  a  bright  shaft  of  sunhght,  entering, 
illuminated  one  part  of  the  cave  but  left  the  other  in 
cool  dusk. 

Silent  Tom  sat  by  the  side  of  the  door  watching, 
his  rifle  on  his  knees.  Nothing  that  moved  in  the 
foliage  in  front  of  them  could  escape  his  eyes.  Long 
Jim  w'as  slicing  the  cooked  venison  with  his  hunting 
knife,  and  Paul,  sitting  on  his  own  particular  collection 
of  leaves  with  his  back  against  the  wall,  was  polishing 
his  hatchet.  It  looked  more  like  a  friendly  group  of 
hunters  than  a  band  fighting  to  escape  death  by  tor- 

187 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

ture.  And  despite  the  real  fact  the  sense  of  comfort 
was  strong. 

Henry  knew  by  the  sunlight  that  the  rain  had  passed 
and  that  a  warm  clear  day  was  at  hand.  He  inferred, 
too,  that  nothing  had  happened  while  he  slept,  and 
rising  he  drank  at  the  stream,  after  which  he  bathed 
his  face,  and  resumed  his  buckskin  clothing  which  had 
dried. 

"Good  sleep,"  said  Paul. 

"Fine,"  said  Henry. 

"You  showed  great  judgment  in  choosing  your  inn." 

"I  knew  that  I  would  find  here  friends,  a  bed,  water, 
food  and  a  roof.'' 

"Everything,  in  fact,  except  fire." 

"Which  we  can  do  without  for  a  while." 

"But  I  would  say  that  the  special  pride  of  the  inn 
is  the  roof.  Certainly  no  rain  seems  to  have  got 
through  it  last  night." 

"It's  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  thick,  and  you  will  notice 
that  the  ceiling  has  been  sculptured  by  a  great  artist." 

Henry  had  seen  it  before,  but  he  observed  it  more 
closely  now,  with  all  its  molded  ridges  and  convolu- 
tions. 

"Nature  does  work  well,  sometimes,"  he  said. 

Long  Jim  handed  him  strips  of  venison. 

"Eat  your  breakfast,"  he  said.  "I'm  sorry,  Mr. 
Visitor,  that  I  kin  offer  you  only  one  thing  to  eat,  but 
as  you  came  late  an'  we  haven't  much  chance  to  git 
anythin'  else  you'll  hev  to  put  up  with  it.  But  thar's 
plenty  uv  water.  You  kin  drink  all  day  long,  ef  you 
like." 

i88 


BESIEGED 

Henry  accepted  the  venison,  ate  heartily,  drank 
again,  and  went  to  the  door  where  Silent  Tom  was 
watching. 

''Look  through  the  Httle  crack  thar,"  said  Tom,  "an* 
you  kin  see  everythin'  that's  to  be  seen  without  bcin' 
seen." 

Henry  took  a  long  and  comprehensive  look.  He 
saw  the  thick  foliage  down  the  slope,  and  the  equally 
thick  foliage  on  the  other  side.  It  looked  beautiful 
in  its  deep  green,  still  heavy  with  the  rain  drops  of 
the  night  before,  despite  a  brilliant  sun  that  was 
rising.    The  wind  had  died  down  to  a  gentle  murmur. 

''Anything  stirring,  Tom?"  he  asked. 

"Nothin'  fur  some  time.  'Bout  an  hour  ago  I 
caught  the  shine  o'  a  red  blanket  'mong  them  trees 
over  thar,  four  hundred  yards  or  so  from  us  an'  too 
fur  fur  a  shot." 

"Do  you  think  they'll  try  to  rush  us?" 

Silent  Tom  shook  his  head. 

"Not  'less  they're  pushed,"  he  replied.  "  'Pears  to 
me  they'll  settle  down  to  a  long  siege.  They  know 
we're  after  thar  cannon  an'  they  mean  to  see  that  we 
don't  git  near  'em.  Ef  they  could  keep  us  holed  up 
here  fur  two  or  three  weeks  they'd  willin'  enough 
spare  twenty  warriors  or  so  fur  the  job." 

"But  why  are  such  important  men  as  Red  Eagle 
and  Blackstaffe  left  here?" 

"Mebbe,  they  thought  they'd  git  at  us  an'  finish  us 
in  a  day  or  two.  Look  at  that,  Henry.  What  do  you 
make  it  out  to  be?" 

"It's  a  spot  of  white  in  the  foliage,  and  it's  coming 

189 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

nearer.  They  want  to  talk  with  us.  Somebody  has 
hoisted  a  piece  of  old  cloth  on  a  gun  barrel  and  is 
approaching.    It's  Braxton  Wyatt." 

"Yes,  I  see  him,  an'  he's  within  range  now.  May 
I  send  a  bullet  squar'ly  through  his  head,  Henry?" 

''No,  no!  You  mustn't  do  that!  We'll  observe  all 
the  rules  of  war,  whether  they  do  or  not.  There's 
Blackstaffe  behind  Wyatt,  and  two  more  Indians. 
Let  them  come  within  a  hundred  yards,  Tom,  then 
hail  'em.  Paul,  you  do  the  talking,  but  say  I'm  not 
here." 

The  two  renegades  and  the  two  Indians  came  on 
with  confidence,  until  they  were  halted  by  Tom's  loud 
command. 

The  four  stopped  and  Wyatt  called  out: 

"We  want  to  talk  with  you  and  it's  better  for  you 
to  do  it." 

"It  may  or  may  not  be  better  for  us,"  said  Paul. 
"We're  the  best  judges  of  that.  But  what  do  you 
want?" 

"You  know  me,  Paul  Cotter,"  said  Wyatt,  who 
recognized  the  voice,  "and  you  know  I  keep  my  word. 
Now,  we  have  you  fellows  shut  up  there.  All  we've 
got  to  do  is  to  wait  until  your  food  gives  out,  which'll 
be  very  soon,  and  then  you'll  drop  into  our  hands  like 
an  apple  from  a  tree." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Paul  airily.  "WeVe  always  had  this 
place  in  mind  for  some  such  use  as  the  present,  and 
from  time  to  time  we've  been  stocking  it  up  with  food. 
We  could  live  here  a  year  in  comfort.  Long  Jim  is 
cooking  deer  steaks  now,  and  the  smoke  is  going  out 

190 


BESIEGED 

through  a  hole,  which  leads  clear  through  the  hill.  If 
you'll  go  around  to  the  other  side,  about  a  mile  from 
here,  you'll  see  the  smoke." 

Paul  merely  followed  the  Indian  fashion  of  taunt- 
ing one's  enemies.  He  believed  that  in  the  forest  it 
was  best  to  follow  its  ways. 

^'Aren't  you  going,  Braxton?"  he  called.  ''Long 
Jim  is  letting  the  fire  die  down  and  if  you  don't  hurry 
around  there  you  won't  see  the  smoke." 

"You  think  you're  smart,  Paul  Cotter,"  Braxton 
Wyatt  called  back  in  anger.  "You've  read  too  many 
books.  Drop  your  high  and  mighty  ways  and  come 
down  to  facts." 

''Well,  what  do  you  want?  You're  in  our  front 
yard  and  we  have  the  right  to  shoot  you,  but  we  won't 
do  it  until  you  tell  what  you're  doing  there." 

"As  I  said,  we've  got  you  shut  up.  We're  sure  that 
you  haven't  food  for  more  than  two  or  three  days. 
Surrender  and  we'll  spare  your  lives  and  take  you  as 
prisoners  to  the  British  at  Detroit — that  is,  all  except 
Henry  Ware." 

"And  why  except  Henry?" 

"He  has  done  so  much  against  the  warriors  that  I 
don't  think  we  could  induce  them  to  spare  him." 

"But  what  makes  you  think  he's  here?" 

Wyatt  hesitated  and  he  and  Blackstaffe  spoke  to- 
gether a  few^  moments  in  a  low  voice.  Then  he  re- 
plied : 

"One  of  our  largest  and  strongest  warriors  was 
strangled  nearly  to  death  last  night.  Nobody  could 
have  done  it  but  Ware." 

191 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Paul  laughed  loud. 

*'And  so  that's  your  evidence!"  he  cried.  "Well, 
you're  mistaken.  I  did  that  myself.  I  was  needing  a 
little  exercise  and  so  I  went  out,  found  this  warrior 
in  the  grass  and  manhandled  him.  Then  I  came  back 
feeling  a  lot  better." 

Wyatt's  face  blazed. 

"You  lie,  Paul  Cotter,"  he  exclaimed.  "You 
couldn't  do  such  a  thing!" 

"Oh,  yes,  I  could,"  said  Paul  merrily,  "but  you're 
losing  your  temper  again,  Braxton.  You  should  never 
call  anybody  a  liar  when  you're  within  range  of  his 
gun.  No,  we're  not  going  to  shoot.  We  always 
respect  a  flag  of  truce,  though  we  doubt  whether  you 
would.  Now,  I  want  to  ask  you  what  have  we  ever 
done  to  make  you  think  we'd  betray  a  comrade  like 
Henry?  Are  you  judging  us  by  yourself?  You  might 
have  a  thousand  warriors  out  there  and  our  answer 
w^ould  be  the  same.  Try  to  take  us  and  see  what  will 
happen.  We  give  you  just  two  minutes  to  get  out  of 
range." 

Wyatt,  Blackstaffe  and  the  two  Indians  retired  hur- 
riedly.   Long  Jim  uttered  an  indignant  exclamation. 

"What's  the  matter  with  you,  Jim?"  asked  Henry. 

"I've  been  insulted." 

"Insulted?    What  do  you  mean?" 

"To  think  anybody  could  have  reckoned  that  me  an* 
the  others  would  be  mean  enough  to  give  you  up  jest 
to  save  our  own  hides!" 

Henry's  eyes  twinkled. 

"I  know  you  wouldn't  give  me  up,  Jim,  but  how  do 

192 


BESIEGED 

you  know,   if  our  places   had   been   changed,   that   T 
wouldn't  have  given  you  up?" 

"You're  talkin'  like  Shi f  less  Sol,"  said  Long  Jim  in 
the  utmost  good  humor,  ''Now  I  wonder  whar  that 
ornery,  long-legged  cuss  is." 

"Not  so  far  away,  it's  safe  to  say.  He'll  be  hang- 
ing around,  ready  to  help  whenever  help  is  needed 
most." 

"That's  shore.  Thar's  a  heap  o'  good  in  Shi  f 'less 
Sol,  though  it  don't  always  'pear  on  the  surface. 
Wish  he  wuz  here.     Now,  w-hat's  next,  Henry?" 

"Waiting,  waiting,  and  then  more  waiting." 

"You  don't  think  they'll  give  it  up  an'  go  away?"    ^ 

"Not  for  two  or  three  days  anyhow,  and  I  think  it 
likely  also  that  they'll  make  another  general  attack." 

"An'  you  think,  too,  that  they've  all  gone  some  dis- 
tance out  of  rifle  shot?" 

"Not  a  doubt  of  it,  but  why  do  you  ask,  Jim?" 

"You  see  a  lot  uv  dead  wood  layin'  in  the  bushes  not 
twenty  feet  from  the  door  uv  our  manshun.  I'd  like 
to  drag  it  in  an'  cook  that  thar  deer  afore  it  sp'ils. 
We've  some  w^ood  already,  but  we  need  more.  I  think 
we  could  manage  so  most  uv  the  smoke  w^ould  go  out 
in  front  an'  we  wouldn't  choke.  Ef  we're  held  here 
fur  a  long  time  we'll  need  that  thar  deer." 

"Go  ahead,  Jim,  and  get  it.  We  three  will  cover 
you  with  our  rifles." 

Jim  stole  forth,  and  making  a  number  of  trips  under 
the  muzzles  of  his  comrades,  brought  in  a  plentiful 
supply  of  wood.  It  was  not  until  he  was  returning 
with  his  last  load  that  the  Indians  noticed  him.     Then 

193 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

they  sent  up  a  war  cry,  and  fired  several  distant  shots. 
But  it  was  too  late.  Long  Jim  was  safely  inside  the 
next  moment,  and  the  warriors,  knowing  how  deadly 
were  the  rifles  that  guarded  him,  were  afraid  to  return 
to  the  attack. 

''Him  that  does  at  once  what  he  oughter  do  don't 
have  to  do  it  when  it's  too  late,"  said  Long  Jim.  "I'm 
goin'  to  build  a  fire  close  to  the  door,  where  most  uv 
the  smoke  will  go  out.  Ef  it  gits  too  strong  fur  us 
we'll  jest  hev  to  put  it  out.  But  ef  things  work  smooth 
I  mean  to  cook  that  deer." 

They  cut  up  the  deer  in  slices  w^ith  their  big  hunting 
knives.  Then  they  heaped  the  dry  wood  near  the 
door  and  cut  off  many  shavings  and  splinters,  building 
up  the  heap  at  least  part  of  the  way  outside,  in  such 
a  position  that  they  were  sure  the  wind  would  take  the 
smoke  and  most  of  the  heat  down  the  valley.  Then 
Long  Jim,  feeling  that  the  rest  of  the  task  was  his, 
and  having  a  certain  pride,  lighted  the  heap  with  his 
flint  and  steel.  It  blazed  up  rapidly,  and,  as  they  had 
hoped,  the  wind  carried  nearly  all  the  smoke  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  cave. 

The  dry  wood  burned  rapidly  and  a  great  mass  of 
coals  soon  gathered.  It  was  very  hot  in  the  cave,  but 
liberal  applications  of  the  cold  water  enabled  them  to 
stand  it.  Meanwhile  all  except  the  one  on  guard 
were  busy  broiling  big  steaks  on  the  ends  of  sticks  and 
laying  them  away  on  the  leaves.  The  whole  place  was 
filled  with  the  pleasant  aroma. 

"Warriors!"  said  Tom  Ross,  who  happened  to  be 
on  guard  at  that  particular  moment.     "They've  seen 

194 


BESIEGED 

our  smoke,  an'  mebbe  our  fire,  an'  they  don't  under- 
stan'  it." 

"You  see  that  they  keep  on  faihng  to  understand 
it,"  said  Henry,  "and  if  curiosity  makes  any  of  them 
too  curious  just  give  him  a  hint." 

The  three  went  on  with  their  cooking,  "storing  up 
hke  Noah  against  the  flood,"  Paul  said,  knowing  that 
Silent  Tom  would  keep  a  watch  beyond  which  no 
warrior  could  pass. 

"Our  beautiful  stone  house  will  need  a  good  airing 
after  all  this  is  over,"  said  Paul.  "Smoke  will  gather 
and  ashes  too  are  flying  about.  But  it's  a  grand 
cooking." 

"So  it  is,"  said  Long  Jim,  who  was  in  his  element. 
"That  wuz  shorely  a  fine  fat  deer.  You  kin  pile  more 
on  that  shelf  in  the  rock,  thar,  Paul.  Wrap  the  dry 
leaves  'roun'  'em,  too.  They're  clean  an'  good.  I 
guess  that  old-timer  uv  yourn  that  you've  told  us 
about  often — 'Lysses,  wuzn't  it?" 

"Yes,  Ulysses." 

"That's  right.  Well,  old  'Lysses  in  them  roamings 
uv  his,  lastin'  a  thousand  years  or  some  sech  time, 
would  hev  been  glad  to  come  upon  a  place  like  this  to 
rest  his  wanderin'  an'  sleepy  head.  I've  a  notion  uv 
my  own  too,  Paul." 

"What  is  it?" 

"That  Greece  ain't  the  land  it's  cracked  up  to  be. 
Fve  never  heard  you  tell  uv  any  rivers  thar  like  the 
Ohio  or  Missip.  I  ain't  heard  you  say  anythin'  about 
the  grand  forests  like  ourn,  an'  all  the  hundreds  an' 
thousands  uv  branches  an'  creeks  an'  springs." 

195 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"No,  Jim,  it's  a  dry  country,  mostly  bare." 

"Then  the  wilderness  here  fur  me.  I  like  a  big 
woods,  a  thousand  miles  every  way,  an'  the  leaves  so 
thick  you  kin  hardly  see  the  sky  above  in  spring. 
I  don't  see  what  the  herds  of  bufif'ler  found  thar  to 
live  on." 

"They  didn't  have  our  kind  of  buffalo.," 

"Ef  they  didn't  hev  our  kind  they  didn't  hev  any 
kind." 

Paul  did  not  argue  the  question  with  him,  because 
it  was  useless  to  talk  to  Long  Jim  about  ancient 
glories,  when  modern  glories  that  he  considered  so 
much  greater  were  before  his  eyes.  Moreover,  Paul 
himself  had  a  love  of  the  greenwood,  and  the  deep 
streams,  so  numerous. 

"Maybe  you're  right,  Jim,"  he  said. 

"I  guess  I  am,"  returned  Long  Jim  emphatically. 
"An'  I  don't  think  so  much  uv  them  old  Greek  fight- 
ers 'long  side  the  fellers  that  fight  the  warriors  now- 
adays in  these  woods.  You  rec'lect  we  talked  that 
over  once  before.  Now,  how  would  A-killus,  all  in 
his  brass  armor  with  his  shinin'  sword  an'  long  spear 
come  out  try  in'  to  stalk  an'  Injun  camp.  Why,  they'd 
hear  his  armor  rattlin'  a  quarter  uv  a  mile  away,  an', 
even  ef  they  didn't,  he'd  git  his  long  spear  so  tangled 
up  in  the  bushes  an'  vines  that  he  couldn't  move  'less 
he  left  it  behind  him.  An'  s'pos'n'  he  had  to  run  fur 
it  an'  come  to  a  creek  or  a  river,  which  he  would 
shorely  soon  do,  ez  thar  are  so  many  in  this  country, 
an'  then  he'd  have  to  jump  in  with  'bout  a  hundred 
pounds  uv  brass  armor  on.    Why,  he'd  go  right  to  the 

196 


BESIEGED 

bottom  an'  stick  down  so  deep  in  the  mud  that  the 
Injuns  would  hev  to  dive  fur  his  scalp." 

'There's  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  this  country 
would  not  have  suited  Achilles." 

"Not  by  a  long  shot,  nor  would  it  hev  suited  any 
other  uv  them  fellers,  be  they  Greek  or  be  they  Trojan. 
S'pose  the  Injuns  didn't  git  after  'em,  then  think  uv 
huntin'  the  buff'ler  with  your  long  spear,  an'  your  hun- 
dred pounds  uv  brass  clothes  on.  Why,  the  Shawnees 
an*  Miamis  are  a  heap  more  sensible  than  them  old 
Greeks  wuz.  An',  think  what  it  would  be  on  a  real 
hot  day  to  hev  to  wear  our  metal  suits!  Paul,  I'm 
givin'  thanks  ev'ry  few  minutes  that  I  wuzn't  born  in 
them  times." 

"A  movement  in  the  woods  opposite!"  announced 
Henry,  who  was  on  watch  now. 

"Tell  us  about  it,"  said  Long  Jim.  'T'm  too  busy 
to  stop  my  work  and  look." 

*T  can  see  warriors  stirring  among  the  trees  and 
bushes.  They  can't  understand  our  smoke,  and 
they're  all  looking  at  it." 

"Maybe  they  take  it  for  a  signal,"  said  Paul.  "Al- 
most anyone  would  do  so." 

"That's  true,"  said  Henry.  "It  looks  natural. 
Well,  let  'em  wonder.  Meanwhile  we'll  go  on  with 
the  provisioning  of  our  army." 

"  'Tain't  such  a  terrible  task,"  said  Long  Jim.  "Me 
bein'  the  best  cook  in  the  world,  it'll  all  be  done  in  a 
couple  uv  hours  more,  an'  bein'  sparin'  we  kin  hold 
out  on  it  two  or  three  weeks  ef  we  hev  to." 

"I   don't  think   it  will  be  that   long,"   said   Henry 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

confidently.  "In  fact  we  mustn't  let  it  be  too  long. 
iWe've  got  to  be  out  and  away,  following  that  red 
army  with  the  cannon/' 

They  continued  their  work  without  interruption, 
although  at  intervals  they  saw  the  Indians  on  the  far 
slope,  well  out  of  range,  but  attentively  watching  the 
smoke  that  came  from  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  When 
the  task  was  nearly  over  Long  Jim  took  a  good  long 
look  at  them.  Then  he  laughed  deeply  and  a  long  time, 
doubling  over  with  merriment. 

"  'Sense  me,  Henry,"  he  said,  "but  this  life  is  so 
full  uv  jokes.  I  enjoy  it  all  the  time,  ev'ry  minnit  uv 
it.  A  little  while  ago  I  wuz  laughin'  at  the  notion  of 
A-killus  with  a  hundred  pounds  or  more  uv  brass  on 
him,  runnin'  away  from  the  warriors,  jumpin'  in  a 
creek  an'  stickin'  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  clean  down 
to  his  waist." 

"That  was  the  joke  then,  Jim,  what's  the  joke 
now  ?" 

"It's  them  Injuns  out  than  They  know  we're  here, 
an'  that  thar's  a  kind  uv  long  narrow  mouth  to  this 
bee-yu-ti-ful  stone  house  uv  ourn.  They  see  smoke 
comin'  out  uv  it,  an'  they  don't  understand  it.  They 
wonder  ef  fire  hez  busted  right  out  uv  the  bowels  uv 
the  earth  an'  burnt  us  all  up,  an'  ag'in  they're  'fraid 
to  come  an'  see  lest  they  meet  rifle  bullets  ez  well  ez 
smoke.     I  pity  them  red  fellers." 

"I  think  that  pity  is  wasted  on  men  who  want  to 
kill  us  and  take  our  scalps." 

"It  ain't  that.  I  know  they  want  to  do  them  things 
to  us,  but  I  know,  too,  that  they  ain't  goin'  to  do  'em. 

198 


BESIEGED 

It's  'cause  they're  so  onsartain  in  thar  minds.  Onsar- 
tainness  is  the  greatest  uv  all  troubles.  Keeps  you  so 
you  can't  eat  an'  sleep,  nor  keep  still  neither.  Jest 
plum'  w'ars  you  out.  Ef  you  know  what  you're  goin' 
to  do  you're  all  right,  but  ef  you  don't  you're  all 
wrong.  That's  the  reason  I  feel  sorry  fur  them  Injun 
fellers,  lookin'  at  our  smoke  an'  a-guessin',  an'  a-guess- 
in',  an'  a-guessin'  an'  never  guessin'  right.  We'll  be 
all  through  in  a  half-hour  an'  then  we  kin  let  the 
fire  die." 

"Right  glad  I'll  be,  too,"  said  Paul,  who  was  stand- 
ing near  the  door  for  air,  and  glad  they  all  were  when 
the  last  of  the  deer  was  cooked,  and  the  last  of  the 
coals  were  shoved  out  to  die  among  the  green  bushes. 
While  the  work  was  going  on  they  had  frequently 
thrown  water  from  the  little  stream  over  themselves 
to  check  the  heat,  but  now  they  took  their  blankets 
and  standiilg  in  a  line  at  the  far  end  of  the  cavern 
swept  out  all  the  smoke  save  that  which  lingered  in 
the  crannies  until,  in  its  own  good  time,  it  too  de- 
parted. 

Then  all  sat  down  near  the  door.  A  lucky  turn 
of  the  wind  sent  the  pure  sweet  air,  crisp  with  the 
touch  of  spring,  pouring  into  their  cavern.  It  was  like 
the  breath  of  Heaven,  taking  away  the  sting  of  smoke 
from  nostrils  and  throat.  The  place  itsdf  soon  filled 
entirely  with  a  new  atmosphere,  vital  and  strong. 
Then,  one  by  one,  they  bathed  their  eyes  and  faces 
at  the  rill,  and  soon  they  were  all  gathered  together 
again  at  the  door,  feeling  as  if  they  had  been  re- 
created.    Indians   were   still   visible    on   the   opposite 

199 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

slope,  and  pity  swelled  once  more  in  Long  Jim's  heart. 

''Now  they're  a-guessin',  an'  a-guessin',  an'  a-gues- 
ag'in,"  he  said,  "an'  a-guessin'  wrong  ev'ry  time.  A 
little  while  ago  our  smoke  bothered  'em,  an'  now 
they're  bothered  'cause  thar  ain't  no  smoke.  They're 
wonderin'  ef  the  volcano  that  busted  right  under  us 
hez  quit  so  soon,  an'  whether  we're  all  charred  ruins, 
or  real  live  fellers  with  rifles  in  our  hands  that  kin 
shoot  an'  hit.  That  I  call  a  state  uv  mind  that  would 
draw  pity  from  anybody." 

"Whatever  it  is,"  said  Paul,  "they'll  not  guess  what 
has  really  happened,  and  as  our  army  of  four  is  now 
provisioned  indefinitely,  we  can  bid  them  defiance." 

"I  like  them  words  'bid  them  defiance,'  "  said  Long 
Jim.  "Ef  I  met  'defiance'  all  by  itself  I  wouldn't 
know  what  it  meant,  but  speakin'  ez  you  do,  Paul,  an' 
w^ith  all  the  surroundin's  you  give  it  I  understan'  it,  an' 
it  sounds  mighty  fine.  Braxton  Wyatt,  I  bid  you  de- 
fiance; Blackstaffe,  I  bid  you  defiance;  Red  Eagle,  I 
bid  you  defiance,  an'  I  bid  defiance  to  ev'ry  warrior 
an'  renegade  in  all  these  woods,  east  uv  the  Missip, 
west  uv  the  Missip,  north  uv  the  Ohio  an'  south  uv 
the  Ohio." 

"But  not  the  lightning,  Jim,"  said  Paul.  "Ajax 
did  that  and  got  hurt." 

"You  needn't  tell  me  that,  Paul.  I  don't  need  the 
example  of  no  Ajax  to  teach  me  sense.  I  ain't  defy  in' 
no  lightnin',  past,  present  or  future.  I  know  lightnin', 
an'  I've  too  much  respeck  fur  it.  It's  about  the  only 
thing  that  kin  hit  you  an'  you  can't  hit  back." 

"The  Indians  have  retreated  further  into  the  woods," 

200 


BESIEGED 

said  Henry.  "They're  probably  lying  down  and  rest- 
ing. They  won't  do  anything  today,  but  tonight  they'll 
act.  They  have  every  incentive  to  finish  their  task 
here  as  soon  as  they  can  and  join  the  main  force. 
When  dark  comes  we  must  watch  two  by  two." 

Night  came  slowly,  the  great  sun  blazing  in  red  and 
gold  in  the  west.  Henry,  with  all  his  lore  of  the 
forest  and  wilderness,  never  failed  to  observe  a  bril- 
liant sunset,  and  while  he  watched  against  an  ambush 
he  also  watched  the  deep,  rich  colors  as  they  faded. 
The  wind  had  blown  gently  all  day  long,  but  now 
W'ith  the  coming  of  the  darkness  it  swelled  into  the 
song  which  he  alone  heard,  that  playing  of  the  breeze 
upon  the  leaves,  which  his  supersense  translated  into 
notes  and  bars  and  harmonies.  Whenever  he  heard  it 
he  was  uplifted  and  exalted  in  a  singular  manner,  as 
if  the  distant  heralds  were  already  blowing  the  trum- 
pets of  victory.     He  was  sure  now  of  success. 

He  and  Long  Jim  kept  the  first  watch,  w'hich  would 
last  until  some  time  after  midnight,  and  he  chose  it 
for  himself,  because  he  felt  certain  the  attack  w^ould 
come  before  it  was  over.  Paul  and  Tom  went  to  sleep 
on  the  leaves  inside,  but  he  and  Jim  lay  dow^n  just 
within  the  door,  where  they  could  see  some  distance 
and  yet  remain  w^U  sheltered.  Now  and  then  they 
exchanged  a  word  or  two. 

*Tt's  eyes  an'  ears  both,  Henry,"  said  Long  Jim. 
"Uv  course,  they'll  come  a-creepin',  an'  a-slidin',  an* 
I  reckon  it'll  be  ears  that'll  tell  us  fust  they're  a-knock- 
in'  at  our  front  door." 

"Right,  Jim.     Our  ears  have  saved  us  more  than 

201 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

once,  and  they're  going  to  do  it  again.  Tve  an  idea 
that  they'll  spread  out  and  approach  from  different 
points." 

"I  think  it  likely.  Red  Eagle,  their  leader,  is  a  chief 
uv  sense,  and  he'll  scatter  his  forces  so  we  won't 
be  able  to  concentrate  our  fire." 

They  waited  a  long  time,  the  wind  meanwhile  blow- 
ing steadily,  and  playing  its  song  upon  the  leaves. 
There  was  no  other  sound,  but,  when  it  was  nearly 
midnight,  a  long  howl,  inexpressibly  dreary  and  weird, 
came  out  of  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

"That's  a  mighty  lonely  wolf,"  whispered  Long 
Jim. 

"Listen !"  Henry  whispered  back.  "That's  no  wolf. 
It's  Shif'less  Sol." 

"Mebbe  it's  so,  but  he's  shorely  howlin'  like  the  king 
of  all  wolves." 

Long  Jim  was  right.  Perhaps  no  wolf  had  ever  be- 
fore howled  with  such  vigor  and  endurance.  The  long 
yelping,  whining  note  filled  the  whole  valley  and  quiv- 
ered on  the  air.  It  rose  and  sank  and  rose  again,  and 
it  was  uncanny  enough  to  make  any  ordinary  hearer 
shiver  to  his  bones. 

"Now  what  in  thunder  does  he  mean  by  sech  an 
awful  howl  ez  that?"  whispered  Long  Jim. 

"I  know,"  replied  Henry,  with  a  flash  of  intuition. 
"He's  hanging  somewhere  on  the  outskirts  of  the  In- 
dian camp,  and  he's  warning  us  that  the  attack  is  at 
hand." 

"Uv  course !  Uv  course !  I  might  'a'  knowed.  That 
thar  Shif'less  Sol  is  one  uv  the  smartest  men  the  world 

202 


BESIEGED 

hez  ever  seed,  an'  while  part  iiv  our  band  is  inside  SB 
big  part  uv  it  is  outside,  a-helpin'  us." 

"Wake  up  Paul  and  Tom  and  tell  'em  the  time  has 
come." 

In  an  instant  all  four  were  crouching-  beside  the 
opening,  their  rifles  ready.  The  extra  rifle  that  Henry 
had  brought  in  was  lying  loaded  at  his  feet,  and  all 
the  while  the  wolf  on  the  far  ridge,  moving  from  place 
to  place,  whined  and  howled  incessantly.  Despite 
Henry's  knowledge  of  its  source  it  made  his  hair  rise 
a  little,  and  a  quiver  ran  along  his  spine.  What  then 
must  be  its  effect  upon  red  men,  who  w'cre  so  much 
more  superstitious  than  white  men  ?  They  might  think 
it  the  spirit  of  some  great  forgotten  warrior  that  had 
gone  into  a  wolf  which  was  now  giving  warning. 

Nevertheless  he  listened  with  all  the  power  of  his 
hearing  for  what  might  happen  closer  by,  and  pres- 
ently he  heard  a  rustling  in  the  grass  that  w^as  not 
caused  by  the  wind.  A  moment  later,  and  the  rustling 
came  from  a  second  point  and  then  a  third.  As  he  had 
surmised.  Red  Eagle  had  spread  out  his  men  until  they 
were  advancing  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel  toward  a 
hub,  the  hub  being  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  And 
from  the  far  ridge  the  warning  cry  of  the  wolf  never 
ceased  to  come. 

"Do  you  hear  them  creeping?"  whispered  Henry  to 
Ross. 

Silent  Tom  nodded  and  shoved  forw^ard  the  muzzle 
of  his  rifle. 

"They'll  be  on  us  in  a  minute,"  he  whispered  back. 

Paul  and  Long  Jim  had  heard  and  they  too  made 

203 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

ready  with  their  rifles.  But  all  of  them  relied  now  on 
Henry,  whose  hearing-  was  keenest.  The  faint,  sliding* 
sounds  ceased,  and  he  knew  that  the  warriors  had 
stopped  to  listen  for  their  enemies,  hoping-  to  catch 
them  off  guard.  The  howling  of  the  wolf  also  ceased 
suddenly,  and  the  wind  was  again  supreme. 

At  least  ten  minutes  passed  in  almost  intolerable 
waiting-,  and  then  Henry  heard  the  renewal  of  the 
faint  sliding  sounds,  coming  from  many  points. 

"Be  ready,"  he  whispered  to  his  comrades.  "When 
they're  near  enough  they'll  all  jump  up,  utter  a  mighty 
yell  and  rush  for  us." 

The  rustlings  came  closer,  then  they  ceased  all  at 
once,  there  was  a  half  minute  of  breathless  silence, 
and  the  air  was  rent  by  a  tremendous  war  whoop,  as 
twenty  warriors,  springing  up,  rushed  for  the  open- 
ing. Henry  fired  straight  at  the  heart  of  the  first  man, 
and  snatching  up  the  second  rifle  sent  a  bullet  through 
another.  The  other  three  fired  with  deadly  aim  and 
all  the  assailants  fell  back,  save  one  who,  standing  on 
the  very  edge  of  the  opening,  whirled  his  tomahawk 
preparatory  to  letting  it  go  straight  at  Henry's  head. 
But  a  moment  before  it  could  leave  his  hand  a  rifle 
cracked  somewhere  and  he  fell  dead,  shot  through  the 
head,  his  figure  lying  directly  across  the  entrance. 
From  the  other  Indians  came  a  yell  of  rage  and  dis- 
may, and  then  after  a  groan  or  two  somewhere  in  the 
grass,  all  were  gone. 

But  the  four  were  reloading  with  feverish  haste. 
Henry,  however,  found  time  to  say  to  Silent  Tom 
Ross: 

204 


BESIEGED 

"Thank  you  for  the  shot  that  saved  me." 

Tom  shook  his  head. 

"  'Twuzn't  me,"  he  said. 

"Then  you,  Paul." 

"I  shot  at  an  Indian,  but  not  that  one.  It  was  a 
warrior  ten  yards  away." 

"Then  it  must  hev  been  you,  Jim." 

"It  wuzn't,  though.  I  wuz  too  busy  wdth  a  warrior 
off  thar  to  the  left.  When  that  feller  wuz  about  to 
throw  his  tomahawk  Td  done  fired." 

"And  so  it  was  none  of  you.  Then  Fm  to  be  thank- 
ful that  we've  a  friend  outside.  Nobody  but  Shi  f 'less 
Sol  could  have  fired  that  shot." 

"An'  jest  in  time,"  said  Long  Jim.  "Good  old  Sol. 
He's  settin'  off  somewhar  in  the  bushes  now,  laughin' 
at  the  trick  he's  played  'em." 

"They'll  look  for  him,"  said  Henry,  "but  whenever 
they  come  to  a  place  he  won't  be  there." 

"They  can't  besiege  us  here,"  said  Paul,  "and  catch 
Shif'less  Sol  at  the  same  time.  But  I  think  we  ought 
to  remove  the  body  of  that  fallen  warrior  at  the  door. 
I  don't  like  to  see  it  there." 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  Long  Jim,  and  stepping  for- 
ward he  lifted  the  slain  man  in  his  arms  and  tossed 
him  as  far  as  he  could  down  th^  side  of  the  hill.  They 
heard  the  body  rolling  and  crashing  some  distance 
through  the  grass  and  bushes,  and  they  shuddered. 

"I  hated  to  do  it,"  said  Long  Jim,  "but  it  had  to 
be  done.  Besides,  they'll  get  it  now  and  take  it 
away." 

"You  look  for  no  other  attempt  tonight?"  said  Paul. 

205 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"No,"  said  Henry.  "They've  lost  too  many  men. 
They  may  try  to  starve  us  out." 

"Now  you  an'  Jim  take  your  naps,"  said  Silent 
Tom,  "while  me  an'  Paul  keep  the  watch  till  day." 

"All  right,"  said  Henry,  "but  I  want  to  wait  eight 
or  ten  minutes." 

"What  fur?" 

"You'll  see — or  rather  you'll  hear." 

Before  the  appointed  time  had  passed  the  long  howl- 
ing note  of  a  wolf  came  from  a  point  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  or  more  away. 

"Shifless  Sol  is  safe,"  said  Henry,  and  five  minutes 
later  he  and  Long  Jim  were  sound  asleep. 


CHAPTER    XI 


THE   SHIFTLESS   ONE 


THE  next  day  dawned  as  brilliant  as  the  one  that 
had  gone  before,  a  golden  sun  clothing  the  vast 
green  forest  in  a  luminous  light.  It  seemed  to 
Henry  that  each  day,  as  the  spring  advanced,  deepened 
the  intense  emerald  glow  of  the  leaves.  Down  in  the 
valley  he  caught  the  sparkle  of  the  brook,  as  it  flowed 
swiftly  away  toward  a  creek,  to  be  carried  thence 
to  the  Ohio,  and  on  through  the  Mississippi  to  the 
sea. 

Further  up  the  opposite  slope,  five  or  six  hundred 
yards  away,  were  gathered  the  Indians  around  a  fire 
in  an  opening,  eating  breakfast.  Henry  saw  Wyatt 
and  Blackstaffe  with  them,  and  he  counted  eighteen 
figures.  As  they  had  already  suffered  severe  losses  he 
concluded  that  they  had  received  a  small  reinforce- 
ment, since  they  must  have  out  four  or  five  scouts  and 
spies  watching  the  little  fortress. 

Evidently  they  had  not  been  daunted  by  their  re- 
pulse of  the  night  before,  as  they  were  broiling  veni- 
son on  the  ends  of  sharpened  sticks  and  eating  heart- 
ily.   The  two  white  men  finishing  their  food  lay  down 

207 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

on  the  grass  and  rested  lazily.     By  and  by  the  red 
members  of  the  band  did  likewise. 

"It's  just  as  we  thought  last  night,"  said  Henry. 
"They  will  not  try  to  carry  us  by  assault  again,  but 
will  undertake  to  starve  us  out  with  a  long  siege.  Even 
if  they've  guessed  the  meaning  of  our  smoke  they 
don't  know  that  we  have  in  here  running  water  that 
runs  on  forever." 

"Would  they  care  to  carry  on  a  long  siege?"  asked 
Paul. 

"Maybe  not,  if  Wyatt  were  not  there.  You  know 
how  he  hates  us  all,  and  he  will  be  continually  urging 
them  to  attack  us.  Perhaps  Red  Eagle  and  Blackstaffe 
will  now  go  on  and  join  the  main  army,  leaving  Wyatt 
with  a  chosen  band  to  take  us  by  siege." 

"  Tears  likely  to  me,"  said  Long  Jim,  w^ho  was  lis- 
tening. "It's  easy  enough  for  them  to  set  thar  out  uv 
range  an'  hold  us  in  here,  but  they  forget  one  mighty 
important  thing." 

"What's  that,  Jim?" 

"Shif'less  Sol.  He's  in  the  bush,  an'  he  kin  stalk 
'em  when  he  pleases.  They  don't  know  that  the  war- 
rior killed  at  the  door  last  night  fell  afore  his  bullet, 
an'  he  kin  bring  down  one  uv  'em  any  time  he  feels 
like  it.  Thar's  a  panther  in  the  bushes  right  by  the 
side  uv  'em  an'  they  don't  know  it.  An'  it's  a  panther 
that  will  bite  'em,  too,  an'  git  away  ev'ry  time.  Hark 
to  that,  will  you  ?" 

They  heard  the  distant  sound  of  a  rifle  shot  and 
saw  one  of  the  Indians  around  the  campfire  sink 
over  in  the  grass.     The  others  uttered  a  terrific  yell 

208 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

of  rage,  and  a  half-dozen  darted  away  in  the  bushes. 

"I  ain't  no  prophet,  nor  the  son  uv  a  prophet,"  said 
Long  Jim,  **but  I'll  bet  my  scalp  that  in  an  hour  or  two 
they'll  come  back  without  Shif  less  Sol." 

'T  won't  take  your  bet,"  said  Paul.  "Six  warriors 
started  away  in  pursuit,  and  now  we'll  see  how  many 
return." 

"The  first  will  be  back  in  an  hour,"  said  Long  Jim, 
"  'cause  Sol  won't  leave  no  trail  a-tall,  a-tall.  He 
made  shore  uv  that  afore  shootin'." 

*T  believe  you  are  a  prophet,  Jim,"  said  Paul.  "Let's 
watch  together." 

Within  the  appointed  hour  two  warriors  returned, 
bringing  with  them  nothing  that  they  had  not  taken 
away,  and  sat  down  in  the  opening,  their  attitude  that 
of  dejection. 

"They  never  struck  no  sign  of  no  trail,  nowhere, 
nohow%"  said  Long  Jim,  exultantly. 

"Too  many  negatives,  Jim,"  said  Paul,  reprovingly. 

"Too  many  what?''  exclaimed  Long  Jim,  staring. 
"I  never  heard  of  them  things  afore !" 

"It's  all  right  anyhow\  There  comes  another  war- 
rior, and  he  too  bears  no  bright  blonde  scalp,  such  as 
adorns  the  head  of  our  faithful  and  esteemed  comrade, 
Solomon  Hyde." 

"That's  three  'counted  fur,  an'  three  to  come.  I 
know,  Paul,  that  Sol  will  git  away,  that  they  can't 
foller  him  nohow,  but  I'd  like  fur  them  three  to  come 
back  empty  handed  right  now.  It  would  be  awful  to 
lose  good  old  Sol.  Uv  course  he's  always  wrong  when 
he  argys  with  me,  but  I'm  still  hopin'  some  day  to 

209 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

teach  him  somethin',  an'  I  don't  want  to  lose  him." 

Paul  saw  deep  anxiety  on  the  face  of  Long  Jim. 
These  two  were  always  in  controversy,  but  they  were 
bound  together  by  all  the  ties  of  the  border,  and 
the  loss  of  either  would  be  a  crushing  blow  to  the 
other. 

Long  minutes  dragged  by  and  became  an  hour,  and 
the  face  of  Jim  Hart  expressed  apprehension. 

*'It's  time  fur  at  least  one  more  to  come  back,"  he 
said. 

"Well,  there  he  is,"  said  Paul.  *'Don't  you  see  him 
stepping  out  of  those  bushes  on  the  east  ?" 

*'Has  he  anything  at  his  belt?"  asked  Long  Jim 
eagerly. 

"Nothing  that  he  doesn't  usually  carry.  He  has  no 
yellow  scalp,  nor  any  scalp  of  any  kind.  Empty  he 
went  away  and  empty  he  has  returned." 

"So  fur,  so  good.  Two  more  are  left  out,  an'  it'll 
now  be  time  fur  them  to  come  trampin'  back." 

"Be  patient,  Jim,  be  patient." 

"I  am,  but  you  must  rec'lect,  Paul,  that  thar  comin' 
back  soon  means  the  life  uv  a  man,  a  man  that's  one 
uv  us  five,  an'  that  we  could  never  furgit  ef  so  be  the 
Injuns  took  him." 

"I'm  not  forgetting  it,  Jim,  but  I've  every  confidence 
in  Shif'less  Sol.  I  don't  believe  those  warriors  could 
possibly  get  him." 

Another  half -hour  dragged  away,  and  Long  Jim  be- 
came more  uneasy.  He  scanned  the  woods  everywhere 
for  the  two  missing  warriors,  and,  at  last,  he  drew  a 
mighty  sigh  of  relief  when  a  tufted  head  appeared  over 

210 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

the  bushes,  and  a  warrior  returned  to  the  opening. 

"He's  a  Shawnee,"  said  Long  Jim.  ''I  marked  him 
when  he  went  away.  I  kin  see  that  he's  tired  an'  I 
could  tell  by  the  bend  in  his  shoulders  that  he  wuz 
comin'  back  with  nothin'.  He's  set  down  now,  an'  ez 
he  'pears  to  be  talkin'  I  guess  he's  tellin'  the  others,  to 
'scuse  his  failure,  that  it  wuzn't  really  a  man  that  he 
wuz  follerin',  but  jest  a  ghost  or  a  phantom,  or  suthin* 
uv  that  kind.  Thar  ain't  but  one  left  an'  he  ought  to 
be  in  in  a  few  minutes." 

But  the  few  minutes  and  many  more  with  them  slid 
into  the  past,  without  bringing  back  the  last  warrior, 
and  once  more  that  look  of  deep  apprehension  appeared 
on  the  face  of  Long  Jim  Hart.  The  man  should  have 
returned  long  before,  and  Jim  held  him  to  personal 
accountability  for  it. 

*T  didn't  like  his  looks  when  he  went  away,"  he 
complained  to  Paul.  "He  wuz  a  big  feller,  darker 
than  most  uv  the  others,  an'  he  wuz  painted  somethin' 
horrible.  I  guessed  by  his  looks  that  he  wuz  the  best 
scout  an'  trailer  in  the  band  an'  that  he  would  hang  on 
like  a  wolf.  Ugly  ez  he  is  his  face  would  look  nice  to 
me  now,  'pearin'  in  that  openin'.  He's  done  outstayed 
his  leave." 

'T  w^ouldn't  be  worried,  Jim,"  said  Paul.  "We  know 
what  a  man  Sol  is  in  the  woods.  No  single  warrior 
could  bring  him  down." 

"That's  so.  Sol's  terrible  smart,  but  then  anybody 
might  be  ambushed.  I  tell  you,  Paul,  that  wuz  the 
wickedest  lookin'  warrior  I  ever  saw.  His  eyes  wuz 
plum'  full  uv  old  Satan." 

211 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"Why,  Jim,  we  are  too  far  away  for  you  to  have 
seen  anything  of  that  kind." 

"I  know  that's  so  at  usual  times,  but  them  eyes  uv 
his  wuz  shinin'  so  terrible  bright  with  meanness  that 
I  caught  thar  look  like  the  gleam  uv  a  burnin'  glass. 
I  reckon  he  wuz  the  wust  savage  in  all  these  woods. 
All  but  him  hev  come  back  more  'n  a  half-hour  ago. 
an*  I'm  beginnin'  to  hev  a  sort  uv  creepy  feelin'." 

"Hark!''  exclaimed  Henry,  who  had  been  standing 
almost  in  the  mouth  of  the  opening. 

"What  is  it,  Henry?  What  is  it?"  exclaimed  Long 
Jim  eagerly. 

"That  strong  wind  brought  the  sound  of  a  rifle  shot. 
It  was  so  faint  and  far  away  that  it  was  no  more  than 
the  snapping  of  a  little  twig,  but  it  was  a  rifle  shot  and 
no  mistake.     Sol  and  that  warrior  have  met." 

"And  W'ho  fired  the  bullet?  And  who  received  it? 
That's  w^hat  we'd  like  to  know !"  said  Paul. 

Complete  silence  succeeded  the  shot.  Evidently  the 
Indians  around  the  campfire  had  not  heard  it,  as  they 
showed  no  signs  of  interest,  but  the  four  in  the  mouth 
of  the  cavern  w^aited  in  painful  anxiety,  their  eyes 
turned  toward  the  point  from  which  the  report  had 
come.  At  last  the  scalp  lock  appeared  above  the  bushes 
and  four  hearts  sank.  Then  the  figure  of  the  warrior 
came  completely  into  view  and  four  hearts  sprang  up 
again.  The  man's  left  arm  was  held  stiflly  by  his  side 
and  he  was  walking  with  weakness.  Nor  did  any 
bright  blonde  scalp  hang  from  his  waist  or  any  other 
part  of  his  body. 

"I  knowed  it !    I  knowed  it !"  exclaimed  Long  Jim, 

212 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

triumphantly.  "He  come  too  close  to  Sol,  an'  got  a 
bullet  in  his  arm.  It  must  hev  been  a  long  shot  or  he 
must  hev  been  nearly  hid,  else  he  would  now  be  layin' 
dead  in  the  bushes.  But  ez  it  is  he's  shorely  got 
enough  to  last  him  fur  a  long  time." 

Paul  was  less  vocal,  but  like  the  others  he  shared  in 
the  triumph  of  the  shiftless  one. 

"Fll  admit  I  was  worried  for  a  w^hile,"  he  said, 
*'but  Sol  has  given  us  one  more  proof  that  he  can  take 
care  of  himself  any  time  and  anywhere." 

*'And  he  has  also  proved  to  our  besiegers,"  said 
Henry,  "that  every  hour  they  spend  there  they're  in 
peril  of  a  bullet  from  the  bush.  I  think  it  will  give 
them  a  most  disturbing  feeling." 

Henry  was  right,  and  he  was  also  right  in  some  of 
his  earlier  surmises.  Red  Eagle  and  Blackstaffe  de- 
parted to  join  the  main  army,  leaving  Braxton  Wyatt 
in  command  of  the  besieging  band  which  had  been  re- 
inforced by  a  half-dozen  warriors.  Wyatt,  animated 
by  wicked  passion,  was  resolved  not  to  leave  until  he 
could  kill  or  take  those  in  the  little  fortress,  but  he  was 
upset  by  the  certainty  that  one  of  the  terrible  five  was 
outside.  He  had  believed  from  the  first  that  it  was 
Henry  Ware,  and,  when  their  best  warrior  came  in 
shot  through  the  arm,  he  was  sure  of  it. 

The  warriors  shared  his  state  of  mind.  Their 
losses  had  inflamed  them  tremendously  and  all  of  them 
were  willing  to  stay  and  risk  everything  for  eventual 
triumph.  Yet  a  terror  soon  fell  upon  them.  The  sin- 
gle marksman  who  roamed  the  woods  sent  a  bullet 
singing  directly  through  the  camp,  and  the  search  for 

213 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

him  failed  as  before.  An  hour  later  another  who  went 
down  to  the  brook  for  water  was  shot  through  the 
shoulder.  Wyatt  saw  that  in  spite  of  their  desire  for 
revenge  superstitious  fears  were  developing,  and  in 
order  to  prevent  their  spread  he  organized  a  camp, 
surrounded  by  sentinels  whom  nothing  could  escape. 
Then  he  awaited  the  night. 

Henry  and  his  comrades  had  heard  the  second  shot 
and  they  had  seen  the  man  whose  shoulder  had  been 
pierced  by  the  bullet,  run  toward  the  others  leaving  a 
red  trail  behind  him,  but  they  were  not  alarmed  this 
time,  as  nobody  left  the  camp.  Evidently  the  warriors, 
stout-hearted  though  they  were,  did  not  care  to  trail 
the  shiftless  one  once  more,  and  in  the  growing  dusk, 
too,  when  they  would  be  at  the  mercy  of  his  rifle. 

"He's  got  'em  stirred  up  a  lot,"  said  Henry,  "and 
if  they  come  again  he  will  surely  be  a  host  on  our  side." 

Another  attack  was  made  that  night,  but  it  did  not 
come  until  late,  halfway  between  midnight  and  morn- 
ing, and,  as  Henry  had  suspected,  it  was  not  an  as- 
sault, but  an  attempt  by  sharpshooters,  hidden  in  the 
dark  brush,  to  pick  off  watchers  at  the  opening.  The 
bullets  of  the  besiegers  were  fired  mostly  at  random 
and  did  nothing  but  chip  stone.  The  besieged  fired  at 
the  flash  of  the  rifles  and  were  not  sure  that  they  hit 
an  enemy,  but  believed  that  they  succeeded  more  than 
once.  Then,  as  the  night  before,  came  the  report  of 
the  lone  rifle  in  the  thicket,  and  a  warrior,  throwing  up 
his  hands,  uttered  his  death  cry,  making  it  apparent 
to  the  defenders  that  the  shiftless  one  was  neither  idle 
nor  afraid. 

214 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

Then  the  Indians  withdrew  and  the  primeval  silence 
returned  to  the  valley.  The  four  remained  for  a  while 
without  speaking,  watchful,  their  rifles  loaded  anew 
and  their  fingers  on  the  trigger. 

"Sol  could  come  in  now,"  said  Long  Jim.  "He 
must  know  that  the  way  will  be  clear  for  a  little  while." 

"He  doesn't  want  to  come  in,"  said  Henry.  "He's 
our  link  with  the  outside  world,  and  when  they  attack 
he  can  be  of  more  help  to  us  because  they  don't  know 
from  what  point  he  will  strike.  The  besiegers  are  also 
besieged." 

"I'm  thinkin*  they  won't  attack  ag'in  fur  a  long 
time,"  said  Long  Jim,  "an'  that  bein'  the  case,  I'm 
goin'  to  eat  some  uv  my  own  cookin',  knowin'  that  it's 
the  finest  in  the  world,  an'  then  go  to  sleep." 

"All  right,  Jim,"  said  Henry,  "you  deserve  both." 

Long  Jim  was  soon  asleep,  but  Henry  remained 
awake  until  daylight.  He  considered  whether  they 
should  not  attempt  to  escape  now,  join  Shi f 'less  Sol, 
and  follow  as  fast  as  they  could  the  main  Indian  army 
with  the  cannon.  But  he  decided  in  the  negative.  The 
savages,  despite  their  repulse,  would  certainly  be  on 
watch,  and  they  were  still  too  numerous  for  a  fight  in 
the  bush. 

Hence  they  entered  upon  another  day  in  the  cavern, 
which  was  beginning  to  assume  some  of  the  aspects 
of  home.  It  looked  cosy,  with  the  supply  of  venison 
and  bear  meat,  the  pleasant  rill  of  cold  water,  the  dry 
leaves  upon  which  their  blankets  were  spread  for  beds, 
and  it  was  filled  with  cold  fresh  air  that  poured  in  at 
the  opening-.     Henry   felt  once  more  that  they  had 

215 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

had  luck,  and  he  chafed  at  nothing  but  the  long  delay. 

And  delay  now  it  was  certainly  going  to  be,  as  Brax- 
ton Wyatt  refrained  from  attack,  both  that  day  and 
the  next,  although  he  drew  his  lines  so  close  to  them 
that  they  had  no  chance  to  slip  out.  But  cultivating 
Indian  patience,  they  kept  one  man  always  on  guard 
while  the  others  lay  at  their  ease  on  their  beds  of 
leaves,  and,  after  the  fashion  of  those  who  had  much 
time,  talked  of  many  and  various  things.  On  the  third 
day  when  the  siege  seemed  to  have  settled  down  to  a 
test  of  endurance,  the  day  being  clear  and  sharply 
bright,  the  four  sat  near  the  door  of  the  fortress.  Si- 
lent Tom  was  keeping  watch  with  an  eye  that  never 
failed,  but  he  was  able  at  the  same  time  to  hear  what 
his  friends  said,  and,  when  he  felt  the  impulse,  he 
joined  in  with  a  monosyllable  or  two. 

They  were  speaking  of  the  main  band  going  south 
with  the  cannon  for  the  great  attack  upon  the  settle- 
ments, a  subject  to  which  Henry's  mind  returned  con- 
stantly. Alloway  and  the  chiefs  had  a  start  of  days, 
but  he  was  incessantly  telling  himself  that  his  com- 
rades and  he,  as  soon  as  they  were  released  from  the 
siege,  could  overtake  them  quickly.  The  cannon  which 
made  their  great  strength  also  made  their  march  slow. 

''Besides,"  he  said  to  the  others,  "they  will  have  to 
cross  many  rivers  and  creeks  with  them,  and  every 
crossing  will  take  trouble  and  time.  As  I  figure  it, 
they  could  go  four-fifths  of  the  way  and  we  could  still 
overtake  them  before  they  reached  the  settlement." 

''I  hope  we'll  ruin  the  cannon  fur  'em,"  said  Long 
Jim  earnestly,  "an'  that  at  last  the  settlers  will  beat 

216 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

*em  so  bad  that  they'll  never  cross  the  Ohio  ag'in.  All 
this  fightin'  with  'em  breaks  up  my  plans." 

''What  are  your  plans,  Jim?"  asked  Paul. 

'They're  big  ones,  but  thar's  nary  one  uv  'em  that 
don't  take  in  you  three  here  an'  Shi f 'less  Sol  that's 
outside.  I  want  to  git  in  a  boat,  an'  go  on  one  uv  the 
rivers  into  the  Ohio  an'  then  down  the  Ohio  to  the 
Missip,  an'  down  the  Missip  to  New  Or-lee-yuns  w^har 
them  Spaniards  are.  I  met  a  feller  once  who  had  been 
thar  an'  he  said  it  wuz  a  whalin'  big  town,  full  uv  all 
kinds  uv  strange  people,  an'  hevin'  an'  inquirin'  mind 
I  like  to  see  all  kinds  uv  furriners  an'  size  'em  up.  Do 
you  reckon,  Paul,  that  New  Or-lee-yuns  is  the  biggest 
city  in  the  w^orld?" 

"Oh,  no,  Jim.  There  are  many  much  larger  cities 
in  the  old  continents,  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa." 

"Them  are  so  fur  away  that  they  hardly  count  no- 
how.    An'  thar's  a  lot  uv  big  dead  cities,  ain't  thar?" 

"Certainly.  Babylon,  that  our  Bible  often  speaks 
of,  and  Nineveh,  and  Tyre,  and  Memphis  and  Thebes 
and " 

"Stop,  Paul !  That's  enough.  I  reckon  I  ain't  sorry 
them  old  places  are  dead.  It  took  a  heap  uv  ground 
fur  'em  to  stand  on,  ground  that  might  be  covered 
with  grass  an'  bushes  an'  trees,  all  in  deep  an'  purty 
green  like  them  out  thar.  Me  bein'  w'hat  I  am,  I  al- 
ways think  it's  a  pity  to  ruin  a  fine  forest  to  put  a 
town  in  its  place." 

"Those  cities,  I  think,  were  mostly  in  desert  coun- 
tries with  an  artificial  water  supply." 

"Then  I  don't  want  ever  to  see  'em  or  what's  left  uv 

217 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

'em.  People  who  built  cities  whar  no  water  an'  trees 
wuz  ought  to  hev  seen  'em  perish.  Wouldn't  me  an' 
Sol  look  fine  trailin'  'roun'  among  them  ruins  an'  over 
them  deserts?  Not  a  buff'ler,  nor  a  deer,  not  a  b'ar 
anywhar,  an'  not  a  fish ;  'cause  they  ain't  even  a  good 
big  dew  fur  a  fish  to  swim  in. 

''But  leavin'  out  them  old  places  that's  plum'  rusted 
away,  an'  comin'  back  to  this  here  favored  land  o'  ours, 
I  want,  after  seein'  everythin'  thar  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
great  city  of  New  Or-lee-yuns,  to  go  straight  west 
with  you  fellers,  an'  Shi  f 'less  Sol  that's  outside,  clean 
across  the  great  buff' ler  plains  that  we've  talked  about 
afore." 

"Cross  'em !"  said  Silent  Tom,  speaking  for  the  first 
time.    "You  can't  cross  'em.    They  go  on  forever." 

"No,  they  don't.  Once  I  come  across  a  French 
trapper  who  had  been  clean  to  the  edge  uv  'em,  tradin' 
with  the  Injuns  fur  furs.  I  don't  know  how  many 
weeks  an'  months  it  took  him,  but  cross  'em  he  did, 
an'  what  do  you  think  he  found  on  the  other  side,  Tom 
Ross?" 

"The  sea." 

"Nary  a  sea.  He  found  mountains,  mountains  sech 
ez  we  ain't  got  this  side  the  Missip,  mountains  that  go 
right  up  to  the  top  uv  the  sky,  cuttin'  through  clouds 
on  the  way,  mountains  that  are  covered  always  with 
snow,  even  in  the  summer,  an'  not  a  half-dozen  or  a 
dozen  mountains,  but  hundreds  uv  'em,  ridges  an' 
ranges  runnin'  fur  hundreds  an'  thousands  uv  miles." 

"An'  beyond  that  ?"  asked  Silent  Tom. 

"Nobody  knows.    But  think  what  a  trip  it  would  be 

218 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

fur  us  five!  Why  it  raises  the  sperrit  uv  romance 
mighty  high  in  me.  Paul  hez  often  told  us  how  them 
old  Crusaders  from  France  an'  England  an'  Germany 
an'  all  them  Old  World  countries  started  off,  wearin' 
their  iron  clothes  even  on  the  hottest  days,  to  rescue 
the  Holy  places  from  the  infidel.  I  guess  the  sperrit 
uv  adventure  helped  a  heap  in  takin'  'em,  but  thar 
travels  wouldn't  be  any  greater,  an'  grander  than  ourn 
across  all  them  great  plains  an'  into  them  almighty  high 
mountains  beyond.  You  couldn't  even  guess  what 
we'd  find." 

Long  Jim  drew  a  deep  breath,  as  his  spirit  leaped 
before  him  into  the  vast  unknown  spaces,  and  Paul's 
eyes  sparkled.  The  seed  that  Jim  was  sowing  fell  upon 
fertile  ground. 

*T  believe  I'd  rather  travel  in  the  unknown  than  the 
known,"  the  boy  said.  ''We'd  come  to  rivers,  big  ones 
and  lots  of  'em,  too,  that  no  white  man  had  ever  seen 
before,  and,  when  at  last  we  reached  the  mountains, 
we'd  explore  in  there  for  months  and  months,  a  year, 
two  years  may  be.  And  we'd  name  the  highest  five 
peaks  for  ourselves." 

"An'  I'd  want  a  river  named  after  me,  too,  Paul, 
an'  I  don't  want  it  to  be  any  little  second  rate  river, 
either. .  I  want  it  to  be  long  an'  broad  an'  deep  an' 
full  uv  mighty  clear  water,  an'  when  after  a  while,  fur 
hunters  come  along  in  thar  canoes,  I'd  say  to  'em,  'Dip 
down!  Dip  down  with  3^our  paddles  an'  don't  be 
afeard.  This  is  the  Long  Jim  Hart  river,  an'  me  bein' 
Jim  Hart,  the  owner,  I  give  you  leave.'  " 

'T  heard  the  sound  o'  a  shot,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

219 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"And  there  goes  another,"  said  Henry.  ''It  seemed 
to  be  up  the  valley.  Is  it  possible  that  Shif'less  Sol 
has  let  himself  be  trapped  in  broad  daylight?'' 

All  crowded  into  the  doorway  and  looked  and  lis- 
tened, intense  anxiety,  despite  themselves,  tearing  at 
their  hearts.  Shots  at  such  a  time  were  deeply  sig- 
nificant. The  Indians  at  the  camp  opposite,  Braxton 
Wyatt  with  them,  had  risen  and  were  looking  fixedly 
in  the  same  direction. 

A  long  triumphant  shout  suddenly  came  from  a 
point  in  the  forest  up  the  valley,  and  then  was  suc- 
ceeded by  another  in  which  six  or  seven  voices  joined, 
the  Indian  chant  of  victory.  The  hearts  of  the  four 
dropped  like  plummets  in  a  pool,  and  they  gazed  at 
one  another,  aghast. 

"It  can't  be  that  they've  got  him!"  exclaimed  Long 
Jim. 

"Listen  to  that  song!"  faltered  Paul.  "It  celebrates 
the  taking  of  a  scalp !" 

"I'm  afeared  fur  good  old  Sol,"  said  Tom  Ross. 

Henry  was  silent,  but  a  great  grief  oppressed  him. 
The  Indian  chant  was  so  triumphant  that  it  could 
mean  nothing  but  the  taking  of  a  scalp,  and  there  was 
no  scalp  but  that  of  the  shiftless  one  to  take. 

Louder  swelled  the  song,  while  the  singers  were  yet 
invisible  among  the  bushes,  and  suddenly,  the  band 
gathered  in  the  opening,  began  to  sing  a  welcome,  as 
they  danced  around  the  coals  of  their  low  campfire. 
Around  and  around  they  went,  leaping  and  chanting, 
and  the  songs  of  both  bands  came  clearly  to  those  in 
the  cave. 

220 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

Henry's  face  darkened  and  his  teeth  pressed  closely 
together.  An  accident  must  have  happened  or  the 
shiftless  one  would  never  have  allowed  himself  to  be 
trapped  in  the  day.  Yet  he  had  hope,  he  said  resolutely 
to  himself  that  he  must  retain  hope,  and  he  watched 
continually  for  the  smaller  band  that  was  approaching 
through  the  bushes. 

They  emerged  suddenly  into  view%  and  as  his  heart 
sank  again,  he  saw  that  the  leading  w^arrior  was  whirl- 
ing a  trophy  swiftly  around  his  head.  The  cries  of  the 
others  at  sight  of  the  scalp  redoubled. 

''It's  Sol's,  uv  course!"  growled  Long  Jim.  "He's 
gone  an'  a  better  man  never  trod  moccasin !" 

The  others  w^ere  silent,  overwhelmed  with  grief. 
The  two  bands  now  joined  and  the  dance  of  a  score 
of  warriors  became  wilder  and  wilder.  At  intervals 
they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  scalp  as  it  was  waved 
aloft,  and  they  raged,  but  were  powerless. 

"We  can't  go  after  them  cannon  now,"  said  Long 
Jim.  "We've  got  to  stay  an'  git  revenge  fur  poor  old 
Sol." 

"An'  that's  shore,"  said  Tom  Ross.- 

Henry  and  Paul  were  silent.  It  was  the  most  ter- 
rible irony  to  stand  there  and  see  the  savages  rejoicing 
over  the  cruel  fate  of  their  comrade,  and,  as  the  water 
rose  in  their  eyes,  there  came  at  the  same  time  out  of 
the  depths  of  the  forest  the  long  lone  howl  of  the  wolf, 
now  a  deep  thrilling  note,  something  like  a  chord. 

"It's  Shif'less  Sol !  he's  safe !"  cried  Long  Jim.  "It's 
jest  a  trick  they're  workin',  tryin'  to  beat  down  our 
sperrits,  an'  good  old  Sol  is  tellin'  us  so!" 

221 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

''It's  shorely  time/'  said  Silent  Tom,  "an'  that's  an 
old  scalp  they're  whirlin'." 

They  had  never  before  known  the  cry  of  a  wolf  to 
have  such  a  deep  and  thrilling  quality,  but  it  came 
again  as  full  and  resounding  as  before,  and  they  were 
satisfied.  Not  a  doubt  remained  in  the  heart  of  any 
one  of  them.  The  shiftless  one  w^as  safe  and  he  had 
twice  told  them  so.  How  could  they  ever  have  thought 
that  he  would  allow  himself  to  be  trapped  so  easily? 
The  savages  might  dance  on  and  sing  on  as  much  as 
they  pleased,  but  it  did  not  matter  now. 

''After  lookin'  at  them  gyrations,"  said  Long  Jim, 
"I  needs  refreshment.  A  dancin'  an'  singin'  party 
always  makes  me  hungry.  Will  you  j'in  me  in  a 
ven'son  an'  water  banquet,  me  noble  luds?" 

"Go  ahead  the  rest  o'  you,"  said  Tom  Ross,  "I'll 
watch." 

They  drank  from  the  rill,  lay  down  on  their  couches 
and  ate  the  deer  meat  with  splendid  appetites.  The 
revulsion  was  so  great  that  anything  would  have  been 
good  to  them. 

"That  wuz  a  purty  smart  trick,  after  all,"  said  Long 
Jim.  "Ef  they'd  made  us  think  they'd  got  Shif'less 
Sol's  scalp  they'd  make  us  think,  too,  that  they'd  git 
our  own  soon.  An'  they  reckoned  then,  mebbe,  that 
we'd  be  so  weak-sperrited  we'd  come  out  an'  sur- 
render." 

"I  foresee  another  dull  and  long  period  of  inaction," 
said  Henry. 

And  what  he  said  came  to  pass.  They  remained  two 
more  days  in  their  little  fortress,  besieged  so  closely 

222 


THE    SHI  TLESS    ONE 

that  they  did  not  dare  to  move.  Yet  the  besiegers 
themselves  were  kept  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm.  One 
of  their  best  hunters,  sent  out  for  deer,  failed  to  come 
back,  and  his  body  was  found  in  the  forest.  The 
others  began  to  be  oppressed  by  superstitious  fears, 
and  it  required  all  of  Wyatt's  eloquence  and  force  to 
keep  them  to  their  task. 

It  was  in  Henry's  mind  to  wait  for  a  wet  night  and 
then  risk  all  and  go.  It  was  the  rainy  time  of  the  year, 
and  on  their  sixth  night  in  the  cavern  the  storm  that 
they  wished  for  so  earnestly  came,  preceded  by  the 
usual  heralds,  deep  thunder  and  vivid  lightning. 

The  four  made  ready  swiftly.  Every  one  carried 
upon  his  back  his  blanket  and  a  large  supply  of  ven- 
ison. The  locks  of  rifles  and  other  weapons  and 
powder  w^ere  kept  dry  under  their  hunting  shirts. 
Henry  thrust  the  extra  rifle  into  a  crevice,  having  an 
idea  that  he  might  need  it  some  day,  and  w^ould  find  it 
there.  Then  as  the  thunder  and  lightning  ceased  and 
the  deep  darkness  and  rushing  rain  came  they  took  a 
last  look  at  the  strong  little  castle  that  had  been  such 
a  haven  to  them.  Only  eyes  like  theirs  trained  to  dusk 
could  have  made  out  its  walls  and  roof  and  floor. 

"It's  like  leaving  home,"  said  Paul. 

"Thar's  one  good  thing,"  said  Long  Jim.  'The 
savages  in  thar  meanness  can't  destroy  it." 

Henry  led,  and.  Silent  Tom  bringing  up  the  rear, 
they  slipped  into  the  open  air,  keeping  close  to  one 
another  lest  they  be  lost  in  the  thick  darkness.  Despite 
the  pouring  rain  and  the  lash  of  the  wind  it  felt  good 
out  there.    They  had  been  so  long  in  one  small  close 

223 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

place  that  it  was  freedom  to  have  again  the  whole  open 
world  about  them.  The  four  stood  a  little  while  to 
breathe  it  in  and  then  Henry  led  through  the  under- 
brush to  the  top  of  the  hill. 

"Bend  low,"  he  whispered  to  Paul,  who  was  just 
behind  him.  "They  must  have  a  sentinel  near  here 
somewhere,  and  we  don't  want  to  run  into  him." 

Paul  obeyed  him  and  went  on,  but  none  of  them 
noticed  that  Tom  Ross,  who  was  last,  turned  softly 
aside  from  the  path,  and  then  swung  the  butt  of  his 
rifle  with  all  his  might.  But  all  heard  the  impact  and 
the  sound  of  a  fall,  and,  as  they  whirled  around,  Henry 
asked : 

"What  is  it?" 

"The  sentinel,"  replied  Ross.    "He  w^on't  bother  us." 

On  they  went  in  single  file  again,  but  Paul  shud- 
dered. As  their  flight  lengthened  they  increased  their 
speed,  and,  when  they  were  a  half  mile  away,  Paul 
jumped,  as  the  long  piercing  howl  of  the  w^olf  rose 
directly  in  front  of  him.  It  was  Henry  sending  the 
signal  to  the  shiftless  one,  and  in  an  instant  they  heard 
a  similar  note  in  answer  from  a  distant  point. 

As  they  advanced  further  the  signals  were  repeated 
and  then  the  shiftless  one  came  with  swiftness  and 
without  noise  through  the  bushes,  rising  up  like  a 
phantom  before  them.  There  w^ere  happy  handshakes 
and  the  five,  reunited  once  more,  fled  southward 
through  the  darkness  and  rain. 

"I  thought  you'd  come  out  tonight,  Henry,"  said 
Shift'less  Sol.  "An'  I  wuz  waitin'  on  the  ridge  'til 
I  heard  your  signal.     Ain't  it  grand   fur  all  o'  us 

224 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

to  be  together  ag'in,  an'  to  hev  beat  Baxton  Wyatt  ?" 

"It  was  you,  Sol,  who  were  our  greatest  help." 

The  shiftless  one  chuckled,  pleased  at  the  compli- 
ment. 

''Guess  I  wuz  the  fiyin'  wing  o'  our  little  army,"  he 
said.  "Mebbe  Wyatt  an'  them  warriors  will  hang 
'roun'  thar  two  or  three  days  afore  they  find  out  we've 
gone." 

"Not  that  long.  The  head  of  a  warrior  met  Tom's 
clubbed  rifle  as  we  came  away,  and  if  they  don't  find 
him  tonight  they  certainly  wall  in  the  morning." 

"I  don't  care  anyway.  That  band  can't  overtake  us, 
an'  it  can't  trail  us  on  a  night  like  this.  Thar! 
They've  found  the  warrior!" 

The  faint  sound  of  a  yell,  more  like  an  echo,  came 
on  the  wind  and  rain,  but  it  brought  no  fears  to  the 
five.  They  were  quite  sure  that  no  pursuit  could  over- 
take them  now.  After  a  while,  they  let  their  gait  sink 
to  a  walk,  and  began  to  pick  their  w'ay  carefully 
through  the  dripping  forest.  As  they  were  wet,  all 
save  their  ammunition,  they  did  not  hesitate  to  wade 
many  flooded  brooks  and  they  felt  that  when  day  came 
their  trail  would  still  be  hidden  from  even  the  keenest 
of  the  Indian  trailers. 

Henry  did  not  believe  that  Wyatt  and  his  warriors 
could  find  them  unless  by  chance,  and  as  they  were 
now  many  miles  from  the  cavern,  and  the  day  was  not 
far  away,  he  began  to  think  of  a  stopping  place.  Con- 
tinued exertion  had  kept  them  warm,  despite  the  rain, 
but  it  would  not  be  wise  to  waste  their  strength  in  a 
rapid  flight,  continued  a  long  time. 

225 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"All  of  you  keep  an  eye  for  shelter,"  he  said. 
"Maybe  we  can  find  a  windrow  that  will  at  least  shut 
off  a  part  of  the  rain." 

He  alluded  to  the  masses  of  trees  sometimes  thrown 
down  by  a  hurricane,  often  over  a  swath  not  m.ore  than 
two  hundred  yards  wide.  Where  men  did  not  exist  to 
clear  them  away  they  were  numerous  in  Kentucky, 
accumulating  for  uncounted  years.  But  it  was  more 
than  an  hour  before  they  came  upon  one  of  these 
heaps  of  tree  trunks  thrown  thickly  together. 

Yet  it  was  a  good  den  or  lair.  Many  of  the  fallen 
leaves  had  sifted  in  and  lay  there.  Perhaps  bears  had 
used  these  recesses  in  the  winter,  but  the  five  were  not 
scrupulous.  Their  lives  were  passed  in  the  primitive, 
and  they  knew  how  to  make  the  most  of  everything 
that  nature  offered,  no  matter  how  little. 

"I  reckon  we  den  up  here,"  said  Long  Jim. 

"We  do,"  said  Henry,  "and  we  might  go  farther 
and  find  a  much  worse  place." 

The  trees  evidently  had  been  thrown  down  a  long 
time,  as  great  masses  of  vines  had  grown  over  them, 
forming  an  almost  complete  roof.  Very  little  rain 
came  through,  and,  as  they  had  managed  to  keep  their 
ammunition  as  well  as  their  blankets  dry,  the  lair  was 
better  than  anything  for  which  they  had  hoped. 
Trusting  to  the  darkness  and  their  concealment,  all  five 
wTapped  themselves  in  their  blankets  and  went  to 
sleep. 

Now  and  then  drops  of  rain  forced  their  way 
through  the  vines  and  fell  on  the  sleepers,  but  they 
did  not  awake.     Such  trifles  as  these  did  not  disturb 

226 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

them.  They  were  a  part  of  the  great  wilderness,  used 
to  its  ways,  and  troubled  little  by  the  ordinary  hard- 
ships of  human  beings.  The  mental  tension  and  the 
anxieties  from  which  they  had  suffered  were  gone. 
The  siege  broken,  and  reunited,  they  could  pursue  the 
main  force  and  the  cannon  with  speed. 

The  great  revulsion  made  their  sleep  easy  and  un- 
troubled. Not  one  of  them  stirred  as  he  lay  beneath 
the  covering  made  by  the  ancient  hurricane,  and  every 
one  of  them  breathed  long  and  deep. 

Nature  was  watching  over  them  while  they  slept. 
They  belonged  to  the  forest,  and  the  forest  was  taking 
care  of  its  own.  The  rain  increased  and  it  was  driven 
harder  by  the  wind,  but  folded  in  their  blankets  they 
remained  snug,  while  their  clothing  dried  upon  them. 
A  bear  that  had  hibernated  there,  fleeing  from  the  rain 
sought  his  own  den,  but  he  w-as  driven  away  by  the 
man  smell.  A  bedraggled  panther  had  an  idea  of 
taking  the  same  shelter,  but  he  too  was  repelled  in  like 
manner. 

The  forest  watched  over  its  ow^n  not  only  through 
the  night  but  after  the  sun  rose.  Braxton  Wyatt  and 
his  warriors,  consumed  with  rage,  could  find  no  sign 
of  a  trail.  They  had  entered  the  cavern  and  seized 
upon  the  portions  of  venison  left  there,  although  the 
rifle  escaped  their  notice,  and  then  they  had  begun  the 
vain  pursuit.  Long  before  day  they  gave  it  up,  and 
started  after  the  main  army. 

It  had  been  Henry's  intention  to  sleep  only  the  two 
hours  until  dawn,  but  the  relaxation,  coming  after 
immense  exertions  and  anxieties,  kept  him  and  all  the 

22^ 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

others  sound  asleep  long  after  the  dripping  forest  was 
bathed  in  sunHght.  It  was  a  bright  ray  of  the  same 
sunhght  entering  through  a  crevice  and  striking  him 
in  the  eye  that  awakened  him.  He  looked  at  his  com- 
rades. They  were  so  deep  in  slumber  that  not  one  of 
them  stirred. 

He  heard  a  light  swift  sound  overhead  and  saw  that 
it  was  a  gray  squirrel  running  along  their  roof.  Then 
came  a  song,  pure  and  sweet,  that  thrilled  through  the 
forest.  It  was  sung  by  a  small  gray  bird  perched  on 
a  vine  almost  directly  over  Henry's  head,  and  he  won- 
dered that  such  a  volume  of  music  could  come  from 
such  a  tiny  body. 

The  squirrel  and  the  bird  together  told  him  that 
nothing  unusual  was  stirring  in  the  forest.  If  war- 
riors were  near  that  morning  song  would  not  be 
poured  forth  in  such  a  clear  and  untroubled  stream. 
The  bird  was  their  warder,  their  watchman,  and  he 
told  them  that  it  was  sunrise  and  all  was  well.  Feel- 
ing the  utmost  confidence  in  the  small  sentinel,  and 
knowing  that  they  needed  more  strength  for  the  pur- 
suit, Henry  closed  his  eyes  and  went  to  sleep  again. 

The  little  gray  bird  was  the  most  redoubtable  of 
sentinels.  Either  the  figures  below  were  hidden  from 
him  or  instinct  warned  him  that  they  were  friends. 
He  hopped  from  bough  to  bough  of  the  great  win- 
drow, and  nearly  always  he  sang.  Now  his  song  was 
clear  and  happy,  saying  that  no  enemy  came  in  the 
forest.  He  sang  from  sheer  delight,  from  the  glory 
of  the  sunshine,  and  the  splendor  of  the  great  green 
forest,  drying  in  the  golden  glow,    Now  and  then  the 

228 


THE    SHIFTLESS    ONE 

gray  squirrel  came  down  from  a  tree  and  ran  over 
the  windrow.  There  was  no  method  in  his  excursions. 
It  was  just  pure  happiness,  the  physical  expression  of 
high  spirits. 

The  shiftless  one  was  the  next  to  awake,  and  he  too 
looked  at  his  sleeping  comrades.  His  task  had  been 
the  hardest  of  them  all.  Although  his  body  had  ac- 
quired the  quality  of  steel  wire,  it  had  yielded  never- 
theless under  the  strain  of  so  many  pursuits  and 
flights.  Now  he  heard  that  bird  singing  above  him 
and  as  it  told  him,  too,  that  no  danger  was  near,  he 
shifted  himself  a  little  to  ease  his  muscles  and  went 
to  sleep  again. 

A  half-hour  later  Long  Jim  came  out  of  slumber- 
land,  but  he  opened  only  one  eye.  The  bird  was  trill- 
ing and  quavering  in  the  most  wonderful  way,  telling 
him  as  he  understood  it,  to  go  back  whence  he  had 
come,  and  he  wxnt  at  once.  Then  came  Paul,  not  more 
than  half  awakened,  and  the  music  of  the  song  lulled 
him.  He  did  not  have  time  to  ask  himself  any  ques- 
tion before  he  had  returned  to  sleep,  and  the  bird  sang 
on,  announcing  that  noon  was  coming  and  all  was 
yet  well. 


CHAPTER    XII 


ON   THE  GREAT  TRAIL 


N  hour  after  the  little  gray  bird  had  announced 
that  it  was  noon  and  all  was  well  Henry  awoke, 
and  now  he  sat  up.  The  bird,  hearing  rustlings 
below,  and  feeling  that  his  task  of  watchman  was  over, 
flew  away.  His  song  was  heard  for  a  moment  or  two 
in  the  boughs  of  a  tree,  then  it  grew  faint  and  died 
in  the  distance.  But  his  work  was  done  and  he  had 
done  it  well. 

Henry  put  his  hand  on  Sol's  shoulder,  and  the  shift- 
less one  also  sat  up. 

"You've  slept  a  week,  Sol,"  Henry  said. 

"That's  a  whopper.  I  just  laid  down,  slept  a  minute, 
waked  up,  heard  a  bird  singin',  then  slept  another 
minute." 

"Just  the  same  happened  to  me,  but  it's  past  mid- 
day.   Look  through  the  vines  there  and  see  the  sun." 

"It's  so.  How  time  does  pass  when  the  warriors 
are  lettin'  your  scalp  alone." 

"Wake  up,  Jim." 

Shi  f 'less  Sol  poked  Long  Jim  vv^ith  his  moccasined 
foot. 

230 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

"Here  you,  Jim  Hart,"  he  said.  "Wake  up.  Do 
you  think  we've  got  nothin'  to  do  but  set  here,  an' 
listen  to  you  snorin'  fur  two  days  an'  two  nights, 
when  we've  got  to  overtake  an  Injun  army  and 
thrash  it?" 

"Don't  tech  me  with  your  foot  ag'in,  Sol  Hyde,  an' 
don't  talk  to  me  so  highfalutin'.  It's  hard  to  git  me 
mad,  but  when  I  do  git  mad  Fm  a  lot  wuss  than  Paul's 
friend,  A-killus,  'cause  I  don't  sulk  in  my  tent, 
specially  when  I  haven't  got  any.  I  jest  rises  up  an' 
takes  them  that  pesters  me  by  the  heels  an'  w'ar  'em 
out  ag'in  the  trees." 

"You  talk  mighty  big,  Saplin'." 

"I'm  feelin'  big.  I  think  I'll  go  out  an'  stretch 
myself,  bein'  ez  it's  a  fine  day  an'  these  are  my  woods." 

The  talk  awoke  Paul  also  and  all  went  outside. 
Henry  and  Silent  Tom  scouted  for  some  distance  in 
every  direction,  and,  finding  no  sign  of  an  enemy,  the 
five  ate  cold  venison  and  drank  from  one  of  the  in- 
numerable streams.  Then  they  deliberated  briefly. 
They  must  find  the  trail  of  the  Indian  army  and  they 
were  quite  sure  that  it  lay  toward  the  east.  If  it  were 
there  they  could  not  miss  it,  as  a  way  for  the  cannon 
had  to  be  cut  with  axes.  Hence  their  council  lasted 
only  five  minutes,  and  then  they  hastened  due  east- 
ward. 

Speed  was  impeded  by  the  creeks  and  brooks,  all  of 
which  were  swollen  yet  further,  compelling  them  in 
several  cases  to  swim,  which  had  to  be  done  with  care, 
owing  to  the  need  of  keeping  their  ammunition  dry. 
Night  came,  the  great  trail  was  still  unfound,  and  they 

231 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

thought  they  might  possibly  have  been  mistaken  in 
going  to  the  east,  but  when  they  debated  it  again  they 
resolved  to  continue  their  present  course.  Every  prob- 
ability favored  it,  and  perhaps  the  Indian  army  had 
taken  a  voider  curve  than  they  had  thought. 

"I've  had  so  much  rest  and  sleep  that  I'm  good  fur 
all  night,"  said  Long  Jim,  "an'  the  ground  bein'  sp 
soft  from  so  much  rain  them  cannon  wheels  will  cut 
ruts  a  foot  deep." 

"That's  so,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "Why  we  could 
blindfold  ourselves  an'  hit  that  trail.  Out  o'  the 
mouths  o'  men  like  Long  Jim  wisdom  comes  some- 
times, though  you  wouldn't  think  it." 

"All  that  you  are,  Solomon  Hyde,"  said  Long  Jim, 
"I've  made.  When  I  fust  knowed  you  a  tow-headed 
boy  you  didn't  have  sense  enough  to  come  in  out 
uv  the  rain.  Now,  by  long  years  uv  hard  trainin', 
mixin'  gentleness  wuth  firmness,  I've  turned  you 
into  somethin'  like  a  scout  an'  trailer  an'  Injun 
fighter,  fit  to  travel  in  the  comp'ny  uv  a  man  like 
myself.  Now  an'  then  when  I  look  at  you,  Solomon 
Hyde,  I'm  proud  uv  you,  but  I'm  prouder  uv  myself 
fur  makin'  a  real  man  out  uv  sech  poor  stuff  to  start 
with." 

"I'm  still  willin'  to  learn,  Jim,"  grinned  Shif'less 
Sol. 

"The  trail !    The  trail !"  suddenly  exclaimed  Henry. 

They  had  emerged  from  heavy  forest  into  a  stretch 
of  canebrake  through  which  ran  a  long  swath,  trampled 
by  many  feet  and  cut  by  deep  ruts.  Here  the  cannon 
had  passed  perhaps  a  week  ago,  and  they  could  follow 

27.2 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

the  ruts  as  easily  as  the  wheel  of  an  engine  follows 
the  rails, 

''I  'low  they  can't  make  more'n  ten  or  fifteen  miles 
a  day,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

''While  we,  if  we  were  hard  pressed,  could  go  thirty 
or  forty,  or  more,"  said  Paul. 

"We  could  overtake  'em  in  three  days,"  said  Henry. 

"An'  hevin'  done  it,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "what 
are  we  goin'  to  do  next?" 

"It's  the  cannon  we're  after,  as  we  all  know,"  said 
Henry,  "and  I  confess  that  I  can't  see  yet  how  we're 
going  to  get  at  'em." 

"I  fancy  we  can  tell  more  about  it  when  we  approach 
the  Indian  army,"  said  Paul. 

"There's  no  other  way,"  said  Henry.  "If  w^e  keep 
close  beside  'em  v/e  may  get  a  chance  at  the  cannon, 
but  we've  got  to  look  out  for  Braxton  Wyatt  and  his 
gang,  w^ho  will  be  just  behind  us,  on  the  same  trail." 

"Then  we  go  straight  ahead?"  said  Paul. 

They  followed  the  great  trail  nearly  all  night,  under 
the  clear  moon  and  stars,  a  fine  drying  wind  having 
taken  away  all  the  dampness.  As  usual  Henry  led  and 
Silent  Tom  brought  up  the  rear,  the  one  in  front 
keeping  an  eye  for  a  rear  guard  and  the  one  behind 
watching  for  the  advance  of  Braxton  Wyatt's  force. 
The  trail  itself  was  leisurely.  The  speed  of  the 
cannon  had  to  be  the  speed  of  the  army,  and  there  w^as 
ample  time  for  parties  to  leave  on  hunting  expedi- 
tions, and  then  rejoin  the  main  band  with  their  spoils. 

"They're  living  well,"  said  Henry,  as  he  pointed  to 
the  dead  coals  of  numerous  fires,  and  the  quantities  of 

^2>Z 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

bones   scattered   about.     'They've   had   buffalo,   bear, 
deer,  turkey  and  lots  of  small  game." 

''It's  an  ideal  country  for  an  Indian  army  to  travel 
in,"  said  Paul.     "The  game  fairly  swarms  in  it." 

"An  they  don't  spare  it  neither,"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 
"These  w^arriors  are  jest  eatin'  thar  way  down  to  the 
settlements." 

"Here's  where  they  kept  their  cannon,"  said  Henry, 
pointing  to  a  place  near  the  edge  of  the  opening,  "and 
they  covered  them  for  the  night  with  strong  canvas." 

"How  do  you  know  that  ?"  asked  Long  Jim. 

"See  this  thorn  bush  growing  just  beside  the  place. 
The  edge  of  the  canvas  caught  on  the  thorns  and  when 
they  pulled  it  away  it  left  these  threads.  See,  here  are 
three  of  'em." 

"But  how  do  you  know  it  was  strong  canvas  ?" 

"Because  if  it  hadn't  been,  more  than  these  three 
threads  would  have  been  left.  I'm  astonished  at  you ! 
What  have  you  done  with  your  wits  ?  It  was  just  over 
there,  too,  that  Alloway  and  Cartwright  sat  with  the 
chiefs  and  held  a  council.  Two  or  three  bushes  were 
cut  down  close  to  the  ground  in  order  that  a  dozen  men 
or  so  might  sit  comfortably  in  a  ring.  They  smoked 
a  pipe,  and  came  to  some  agreement.  Here  are  the 
ashes  that  were  thrown  from  the  pipe  after  they  were 
through  with  it.  Then  Alloway  and  Cartwright 
walked  off  in  this  direction.  You  can  see  even  now 
the  imprint  of  their  boot  heels.  Moccasins  would 
leave  no  such  trace.  It  must  have  rained  that  night, 
too,  because  they  spread  their  tent  and  slept  in  it." 

"You're  guessing  now,  Henry,"  said  Long  Jim. 

234 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

**I  don't  have  to  guess.  This  is  the  simplest  thing  in 
the  world.  One  has  only  to  look  and  see.  Here  are 
the  holes  where  they  drove  the  tent  pegs.  But  the  two 
officers  did  not  go  to  sleep  at  once  after  the  council. 
They  sat  in  the  tent  and  talked  quite  a  while." 

**How  do  you  know?" 

*'More  ashes,  and  on  the  ground  covered  by  the  tent. 
Evidently  they  have  pipes  of  their  own,  as  most  all 
English  ofHcers  do,  and  they  wouldn't  have  sat  here, 
and  smoked,  while  on  a  hard  march,  if  they  did'nt  have 
something  important  to  talk  about.  I  take  it  that  the 
leaders  of  the  Indian  army  are  trying  to  solve  some 
question.  Perhaps  they  don't  know  which  of  the 
settlements  to  march  against  first." 

"Over  here  is  where  they  kept  the  horses  fur  the  big 
guns,"  said  Silent  Tom.  *'Mebbe  we  might  git  at  them 
horses,  Henry." 

"We  might,  but  it  wouldn't  help  us  much.  The  w^ar- 
riors  are  so  many  that,  although  they  don't  like  work, 
they  could  take  turns  at  pulling  'em  along  w^ith  ropes. 
They  could  do  that  too,  with  the  wagons  that  carry  the 
ammunition  for  the  cannon.  Come  on,  boys.  It  don't 
pay  us  to  linger  over  dead  campfires.  Here  goes  the 
trail  which  is  as  broad  as  a  road." 

He  led  the  way,  but  stopped  again  in  a  few  minutes. 

"They  had  their  troubles  when  they  started  the  next 
morning,"  he  said,  as  he  pointed  with  a  long  fore- 
finger. 

They  saw  flowing  directly  across  the  road  one  of  the 
innumerable  creeks,  sw^ollen  to  a  depth  of  about  four 
feet  by  the  rain,  and  with  rather  a  swift  current.    Hun- 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

dreds  of  footprints  had  been  left  in  the  soft  soil  near 
the  stream,  and  they  examined  them  carefully.  In  two 
places  these  traces  were  packed  closely. 

''About  twenty  warriors  gathered  at  each  of  these 
spots,"  said  Henry,  ''and  lifted  the  cannon  into  the 
wagons.  Look  how  deep  some  of  these  footmarks  are ! 
That  was  when  the  weight  of  the  cannon  sank  them 
down.  The  Indians  could  have  gone  across  the  creek 
without  the  slightest  trouble,  but  the  cannon  and  the 
wagons  delayed  them  quite  a  while.  Come,  boys, 
we've  got  to  do  some  wading  ourselves." 

Reaching  the  opposite  bank  they  found  where  the 
cannon  had  been  lifted  out  again,  and  saw  the  deep 
ruts  made  by  their  wheels  running  on  through  the 
forest. 

"I  don't  find  the  traces  of  no  boot  heels,"  said  Silent 
Tom.    "What's  become  uv  them  English?" 

"They're  riding  now,"  replied  Henry.  "They're  not 
as  used  as  the  Indians  to  forest  marches,  and  they've 
all  been  compelled  to  take  to  the  wagons  for  a  while. 
But  they  won't  stay  in  'em  long." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  AUoway  won't  want  the  warriors  to  look 
down  on  him  or  his  men,  and  the  Indians  are  impressed 
by  physical  strength  and  tenacity.  As  soon  as  they're 
fairly  rested  he'll  get  out  and  make  all  the  others  get 
out  too." 

In  a  half-hour  he  called  their  particular  attention 
to  a  point  in  the  great  trail. 

"All  of  them  got  out  of  the  wagons  here,"  he  said. 
"Look   where   the   boot   heels    cut    into   the    ground. 

'236 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

What's  this?  A  warrior  coming  out  of  the  forest 
has  joined  them  here.  Perhaps  he  was  a  man  sent 
by  Braxton  Wyatt  or  Blackstaffe  to  tell  how  they 
were  getting  along  in  their  siege  of  us,  and  here  is 
another  trail,  where  a  dozen  warriors  split  from  the 
band." 

**A  huntin'  party,  o'  course,"  said  the  shif'less  one 
as  he  looked  at  it.  "They  send  'em  off  on  ev'ry  side, 
ev'ry  day,  an'  we've  got  to  watch  mighty  close,  lest 
some  o'  them  light  on  us." 

*'Still,"  said  Henry,  "when  they  got  their  game  they 
wouldn't  come  straight  back  to  a  trail  already  old. 
They'd  go  on  ahead  to  catch  up.  It's  lucky  that  we've 
got  plenty  of  venison  and  don't  have  to  do  any  hunt- 
ing of  our  own.  Jim,  you  certainly  did  noble  work 
as  a  cook  back  there." 

"Which  reminds  me,"  said  Long  Jim,  "that  I'll  chaw 
a  strip  uv  venison  now." 

"Jim  wuz  always  a  glutton,"  said  the  shiftless  one, 
"but  that  won't  keep  me  from  j'inin'  him  in  his  pleas- 
ant pursuit." 

Daylight  found  them  in  dense  canebrake  w^ith  the 
road  that  the  army  had  been  forced  to  cut  for  the 
cannon  leading  on  straight  and  true. 

"We'll  find  another  camp  about  a  half  mile  ahead," 
said  Henry. 

"Now  that's  a  guess,"  said  Long  Jim. 

"Oh,  no,  it  isn't.    Jim,  you  must  really  learn  to  use 

your   eyes.     Look   up    a   little.     See,    those   buzzards 

hovering  over  a  particular  spot.    Now,  one  darts  down 

and  now  another  rises  up.     I  suppose  they're  still  able 

237 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

to  pick  a  few  shreds  of  flesh  from  the  under  side  of  the 
big  buffalo  bones." 

"I  reckon  your're  right,  Henry." 

They  reached  the  old  camp  presently,  within  the 
indicated  distance,  but  did  not  linger,  pressing  on  over 
little  prairies  and  across  streams  of  all  sizes.  They 
noticed  again  and  again  where  the  hunting  parties  left 
the  main  army,  and  then  where  they  came  back. 

"They've  lots  of  ammunition,"  said  Henry.  "They 
must  have  the  biggest  supply  that  was  ever  yet  fur- 
nished by  Detroit." 

"Mebbe  we  kin  git  some  uv  it  fur  ourselves  later 
on,"  said  Tom  Ross. 

"That's  not  a  bad  idea,  to  get  ammunition  at  the 
expense  of  the  enemy.  Their  bullets  might  not  fit  our 
rifles,  but  we  could  use  their  powder.  We  may  have 
our  chance  yet  to  raid  'em." 

At  noon  they  turned  aside  into  the  forest  and  sought 
a  deep  recess  where  they  could  rest  and  plan.  Foliage 
and  earth  were  dry  now  and  they  stretched  themselves 
luxuriously,  as  they  ate  and  talked.  They  reckoned 
that  they  could  overtake  the  army  on  the  following 
night  or  at  least  on  the  morning  after,  as  its  progress 
had  been  manifestly  slower  even  than  they  had 
thought.  Taking  cannon  through  the  great  woods  in 
which  not  a  single  road  existed  was  a  most  difficult 
task.  But  every  one  of  the  five  felt  the  need  of  exceed- 
ing great  caution.  Besides  the  hunters  they  might 
have  to  deal  with  the  party  that  had  left  under  Black- 
staffe  and  Red  Eagle.  For  all  they  knew,  this  band 
might    have    taken    a    shorter    course    through    the 

238 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

woods,  and  chance  might  bring  on  an  encounter  at 
any  time. 

''If  they  should  strike  our  trail  they're  likely  to 
follow  it  up,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  ''Some  o'  'em  in 
lookin'  fur  game  are  shore  to  be  far  in  the  rear,  an' 
them  too  may  stumble  on  us." 

"  'Pears  to  me,"  said  Long  Jim,  "that  we've  come 
knowin'  it,  plum'  into  a  big  hornet's  nest,  but  we  ain't 
stung  yet.' 

"An'  we  ain't  goin'  to  be,"  said  the  shiftless  one 
confidently. 

Thus  did  the  knights  •  of  the  forest  discuss  their 
chances,  and  they  were  as  truly  knights  as  any  that 
ever  tilted  lance  for  his  lady,  or,  clothed  in  mail,  fought 
the  Saracen  in  the  Holy  Land,  and,  buried  in  the  vast 
forest,  their  dangers  were  greater,  they  so  few  against 
so  many. 

Knowing  now  that  they  had  no  need  to  hurry  and 
that  to  hurry  was  dangerous,  they  lay  a  long  time  in 
the  woods,  and  some  of  them  slept  a  little,  while  the 
others  watched.  But  those  who  slept  awoke  when 
they  heard  the  haunting  cry  of  the  the  owl.  The  five 
sat  up  as  another  owl  far  to  the  left  hooted  in  answer. 
Not  one  of  them  was  deceived  for  an  instant,  as  the 
signals  were  exchanged  thrte  times.  Indian,  they 
knew,  was  talking  to  Indian. 

"What  do  you  think  it  means,  Henry?"  asked  the 
shiftless  one. 

"I've  a  notion  that  a  small  band  has  struck  our 
trail  and  that  it's  signaling  to  a  bigger  one." 

"I'm  sorry  o'  that." 

239 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"So  am  I,  because  it  will  put  the  great  band  on 
guard  against  us.  Our  best  weapon  would  have  been 
the  ignorance  of  the  Indians  that  we  were  near." 

"Ef  troubles  git  in  our  way  we  kin  shoot  'em  out  uy 
it,"  said  Long  Jim  philosophically. 

"So  we  can,"  said  Henry,  "but  there  goes  one  of 
the  owls  again,  and  it's  much  nearer  to  us  than  it  was 
before." 

"An'  thar's  the  other  answerin'  from  the  other  side," 
said  Shif'less  Sol,  "an'  it,  too,  is  much  nearer." 

"  'Pears  ez  ef  they  knowed  more  about  us  than  we 
thought  they  did,  an'  are  tryin'  to  surround  us,"  said 
Long  Jim. 

"An'  we  jest  won't  be  surrounded,"  said  Shif'less 
Sol.  "We  ain't  trained  to  that  sort  o'  thing  an'  it  ain't 
a  habit  that  we'd  like." 

"Come  on,"  said  Henry,  and,  rifle  on  shoulder,  he 
flitted  through  the  thickets.  The  others  followed  him 
in  single  file,  and  they  advanced  toward  a  point  mid- 
way between  the  opposing  bands.  Their  line  formed 
according  to  its  invariable  custom,  Henry  leading,  the 
shiftless  one  next,  followed  by  Paul,  with  Long  Jim 
following,  and  Silent  Tom  covering  the  rear. 

They  traveled  now  at  high  speed,  and  Henry  felt 
that  the  need  was  great.  He  was  sure  that  the  bands, 
besides  signaling  to  each  other,  were  also  calling  up 
wandering  hunters.  The  circle  about  them  might  be 
more  nearly  complete  than  they  had  thought.  They 
kept  to  the  darkest  of  the  forest  and  fled  on  like  a  file 
of  phantoms.  A  rifle  suddenly  cracked  in  the  thicket 
and  a  bullet  whistled  by.     Henry's  rifle  flashed  in 

240 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

reply  and  no  further  sound  came  from  the  bushes. 
Then  the  phantoms  sped  on  faster  than  ever. 

Henry  reloaded  his  rifle,  and  all  of  them  listened 
to  the  chorus  of  the  owls,  as  they  cried  to  one  another 
in  a  circle  the  diameter  of  which  might  have  been  a 
third  of  a  mile.  The  heart  of  every  one  beat  faster, 
not  alone  because  they  were  running,  but  because 
of  that  demon  chorus.  All  the  warriors  had  heard  the 
rifle  shots  and  they  knew  now  just  about  where  the 
fugitives  were.  The  cry  of  an  owl  has  a  singularly 
weird  and  haunting  quality,  and  when  so  many  of 
them  came  together,  coming  as  the  five  knew,  from 
the  throats  of  those  who  meant  them  death,  its  effect 
was  appalling  even  upon  such  hardy  souls  as  theirs. 

*T  wish  they'd  stop  them  cries,"  growled  Long  Jim. 
*'They  git  into  my  bones,  an'  give  me  a  sort  uv  creepy 
weakness  'bout  the  knees." 

"Don't  let  your  knees  buckle,"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 
"Good  knees  are  mighty  important,  jest  now,  'cause 
you  know,  Jim,  we'll  hev  to  make  a  pow'ful  good  run 
fur  it,  an'  ef  your  legs  give  out  I'll  hev  to  stay  back 
with  you." 

"I  know  you  would,  Sol,  but  that  creepy  feelin' 
'bout  my  knees  don't  weaken  the  muscles  an'  j'ints. 
Runnin'  is  my  strongest  p'int." 

*T  know  it.  I  don't  furgit  the  time  your  runnin' 
saved  us  all  when  the  emigrant  train  wuz  surrounded 
by  the  tribes." 

"Down!"  suddenly  called  Henry,  and  the  five 
dropped  almost  flat,  but  without  noise,  in  the  bushes. 
Two   dusky   figures,    evidently   scouts,   were   running 

241 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

directly  across  their  line  of  flight  about  fifty  yards 
ahead  of  them.  But  Henry  was  quite  sure  that  the  two 
warriors  had  not  seen  them  and  the  five,  lying  close 
and  scarcely  breathing,  w^atched  the  dusky  figures. 
The  warriors  paused  a  moment  or  two,  looked  about 
them,  but,  seeing  nothing  went  on,  and  were  quickly 
lost  to  sight  in  the  brush. 

"It  was  lucky,"  said  Henry,  as  they  rose  and  re- 
sumed their  flight,  "that  the  warriors  didn't  look  more 
closely.    I  think  fortune  is  favoring  us." 

"It  ain't  fortune  or  luck,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "It's 
jedgment,  an'  our  long  an'  hard  trainin'.  I  tell  you 
jedgment  is  a  power." 

A  fierce  yell  arose  behind  them,  a  yell  full  of  sav- 
agery and  triumph. 

"They've  hit  our  trail  in  the  moonlight,"  said  Hen- 
ry, "and  as  we  have  no  time  to  dodge  or  lie  in  cover, 
there's  nothing  to  do  but  run  faster." 

"An'  keep  a  good  lookout  to  both  right  an'  left," 
said  Shif'less  Sol.  "They're  comin'  now  from  all 
directions." 

The  owls  now  began  to  hoot  in  great  numbers,  and 
with  extraordinary  ferocity.  The  cry  made  upon 
Paul's  sensitive  mind  an  impression  that  never  could 
be  effaced.  He  associated  it  with  cruelty,  savagery 
and  deadly  menace.  His  ear  even  multiplied  and  ex- 
aggerated the  sinister  calls.  The  woods  were  filled 
with  them,  they  came  from  every  bush,  and  the  menac- 
ing circle  was  steadily  and  surely  drawing  closer. 

Henry  heard  the  heavy  panting  breaths  behind 
him.     They  were  bound  to  grow  weary  before  long. 

242 


"'r>/^«rr,l> 


Down  I'  suddenly  called  Henry" 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

Even  if  one  were  made  of  steel  he  could  not  run  on 
forever.  But  he  recalled  that  while  they  could  not  do 
so  neither  could  the  warriors.  His  keen  ear  noted  that 
no  cry  of  the  owl  came  from  the  point  straight  ahead, 
pjid  he  concluded  therefore  that  the  circle  was  not  yet 
complete.  There  was  a  break  in  the  ring  and  he  meant 
to  drive  straight  through  it. 

"Now^  boys,"  he  said,  ''slow  up  a  little  to  let  your 
breath  come  back,  then  we'll  make  a  great  burst  for  it 
and  break  through." 

Their  pace  sank  almost  to  a  walk,  but  the  beat  of 
their  hearts  became  more  nearly  regular,  and  strength 
came  back.  IMeanwhile  the  cries  of  the  owls  never 
ceased.  They  drummed  incessantly  on  the  ears  of 
Paul,  and  made  a  sort  of  fury  in  his  brain.  It  was 
a  species  of  torture  that  made  him  rage  more  than  ever 
against  his  pursuers. 

They  stopped  in  a  clump  of  cane  and  watched  a 
single  warrior  pass  near.  When  he  was  gone  they 
stepped  from  the  cane  and  began  to  run  at  high  speed 
toward  the  opening  in  the  circle  which  Henry  judged 
could  not  be  more  than  a  hundred  yards  away.  It 
was  fortunate  for  them  that  the  forest  here  contained 
little  undergrowth  to  impede  them. 

It  was  a  great  burst  of  speed  to  make  after  so  long  a 
flight,  but  the  brief  rest  had  helped  them  greatly,  and 
they  spurned  the  earth  behind  them.  Now  the  Indian 
w'arriors  caught  sight  of  them,  and  rifles  flashed  in 
the  night.  The  last  owl  ceased  to  hoot,  and  instead 
gave  forth  the  war  hoop.  The  forest  rang  with  fierce 
yells,  many  anticipating  a  triumph  not  yet  won.    Many 

243 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

shots  were  fired  on  either  flank,  and  leaves  and  twigs 
fell,  but  the  five,  bending  low,  fled  on  and  did  not  yet 
reply. 

The  young  leader  in  those  desperate  moments  was 
cool  enough  to  see  that  no  shots  came  from  the  point 
straight  ahead,  making  it  sure  that  the  opening  was 
still  there.  He  counted,  too,  on  the  dusk  and  the 
generally  poor  markmanship  of  the  savages.  A  single 
glance  backward  showed  him  that  none  of  his  com- 
rades was  touched.  Farther  away  on  either  side  he 
saw  the  leaping  forms  of  the  warriors  and  then  the 
flash  of  their  wild  shots.  And  still  his  comrades  and 
he  were  untouched. 

"Now,  boys,"  he  cried,  "let  out  the  last  link  in  the 
chain!"  and  the  five  bounded  forward  at  such  speed 
that  the  Indians  in  the  dusk  could  not  hit  the  flying 
targets,  and,  still  untouched  they  drove  through  the 
opening,  and  beyond.  But  the  warriors  behind  them 
joined  in  a  mass  and  came  on,  yelling  in  anger  and 
disappointment. 

"Now,  Sol,"  said  Henry,  "we  might  let  'em  have 
a  couple  of  bullets.     The  rest  of  you  hold  your  fire!" 

Henry  and  the  shiftless  one,  wheeling  swiftly,  fired 
and  hit  their  targets.  A  cry  of  wrath  came  from 
the  pursuers,  but  they  dropped  back  out  of  range,  and 
stayed  there  awhile.  Then  they  crept  closer,  until 
a  bullet  from  Silent  Tom  gave  them  a  deadly  warning 
to  drop  back  again,  which  they  did  with  great  prompt- 
ness. 

Then  the  five,  summoning  all  their  reserves  of 
strength,  sped  southward  at  a  rate  that  was  too  great 

244 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

for  their  pursuers.  Paul  soon  heard  the  owls  calling 
again,  but  they  were  at  least  a  half  mile  behind  them, 
and  they  no  longer  oppressed  him  with  that  quality  of 
cruelty  and  certain  triumph.  Now  they  only  denoted 
failure  and  disappointment,  and,  as  his  high  tension 
relaxed,  he  began  to  laugh. 

"Stop  it,  Paul!  Stop  it!"  said  the  shiftless  one 
sharply.  "It's  too  soon  yet  to  laugh!  When  the  time 
comes  ril  tell  you!" 

Paul  checked  himself,  know^ing  that  the  laugh  was 
partly  hysterical,  and  closely  followed  Henry  who  was 
now  turning  toward  the  west,  leading  them  through 
rolling  country,  clothed  in  the  same  unbroken  forest 
and  undergrowth.  It  was  his  idea  to  find  a  creek  or 
brook  and  then  wade  in  it  for  a  long  distance  to  break 
the  trail,  the  simplest  of  devices,  one  used  a  thousand 
times  with  success  on  the  border,  and  they  ran  at  their 
utmost  speed,  in  order  to  be  out  of  sight  of  even  the 
swiftest  w^arrior  when  they  should  come  to  water. 

They  passed  several  tiny  brooks  too  small  for  their 
purpose,  but,  in  a  half -hour,  came  to  one  two  feet 
deep,  flowing  swdftly  and  with  muddy  current.  Henry 
uttered  a  sigh  of  satisfaction  as  he  stepped  into  the 
water,  and  began  to  run  with  the  stream.  He  heard 
four  splashes  behind  him,  as  the  others  stepped  in  also, 
and  followed. 

"As  little  noise  as  you  can,"  he  said.  "There  may 
be  a  lurking  warrior  about  somewhere." 

After  the  first  hundred  yards  they  waded  slowly, 
in  order  to  avoid  more  splashing,  and,  after  another 
hundred,   stopped   to  listen.     They  heard   faint   cries 

245 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

from  the  warriors,  but  they  were  very  far  away,  at 
least  a  mile,  they  thought,  and  the  hearts  of  every  one 
of  the  five  rose  with  the  belief  that  the  Indians  had 
taken  the  wrong  course.  But  they  neglected  no  pre- 
caution, wading  in  the  middle  of  the  brook  for  a  long 
distance,  the  water  enclosed  on  either  side  with  a  thick 
and  heavy  growth  of  willows  and  bushes  so  dense,  in 
truth,  that  one  could  not  see  into  the  stream  without 
parting  the   foliage. 

"Didn't  I  tell  you  we  were  lucky!"  said  Henry. 
"This  branch  poked  itself  right  across  our  path  at  the 
right  moment  to  help  us  break  our  trail." 

"Jedgment,  Henry!  Jedgment!"  said  the  shiftless 
one.  "We  knowed  that  it  wuz  best  fur  us  to  find  a 
branch,  an'  so  we  jest  run  on  till  we  found  one." 

"It  'pears  to  me,"  said  Long  Jim,  "that  we're  takin* 
to  water  a  heap.  Always  jumpin'  into  some  branch 
or  creek  or  river  an'  wadin',  I  feel  myself  turnin'  to 
a  fish,  a  great  big  long  catfish  sech  as  you  find  in  the 
Ohio.     Fins  are  comin'  out  on  my  ankles  right  now." 

"An'  your  face  is  plum'  covered  wath  scales  already," 
said  Shif'less  Sol.     "You're  shorely  a  wonder,  Jim." 

Long  Jim  involuntarily  clapped  his  hand  to  his  face, 
and  then  both  laughed. 

"At  any  rate,"  said  Long  Jim,  "I'll  be  glad  when 
we  take  to  dry  ground  ag'in." 

But  Henry  led  them  a  full  mile,  until  he  parted  the 
bushes,  and  stepped  out  on  the  west  bank.  The  others 
followed  and  all  five  stood  a  moment  or  two  on  the 
bank,  while  the  water  dripped  from  their  leggings. 

"Them    fins    has    done    growed    on    me,    shore," 

246 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

whispered  Long-  Jim  to  Shif'less  Sol.     ''Cur'us  how 
water  sticks  to  deerskin." 

*'How  much  further  do  we  go,  Henry?"  asked  Paul. 

''Far  enough  to  be  safe,"  replied  Henry.  "I  think 
two  or  three  miles  more  will  put  us  out  of  their 
range.  The  walking  won't  be  bad,  and  it  will  help 
to  dry  our  leggings." 

"Wish  I  had  one  o'  their  bosses  to  ride  on,"  said 
Shif'less  Sol.  "'Twould  jest  suit  me,  a  lazy  man. 
I  guess  bosses  wuzn't  ever  used  in  these  parts  afore, 
but  Fd  ride  one  like  the  old  knights  that  Paul  talks 
about,  an'  you,  Long  Jim,  could  hang  on  to  the 
tail." 

''I  wouldn't  hang  on  to  the  tail  of  nobody's  boss, 
an'  least  uv  all  to  the  tail  uv  yourn,  Sol  Hyde." 

"You'd  hev  to,  Jim  Hart,  'cause  you'd  be  my  serf. 
Knights  always  had  serfs  that  wuz  glad  to  hang  on 
to  the  tails  o'  their  bosses,  when  the  knights  would  let 
'em.  Wouldn't  I  look  grand,  chargin'  through  the 
forest  on  my  war  boss,  six  feet  high,  me  in  my  best 
Sunday  brass  suit,  speckled  with  gold  scales,  with 
my  silver  spear  twenty  feet  long,  an'  my  great  two- 
handed,  gold-hilted  sword  beside  me,  an'  long  Jim  tied 
to  the  tail  o'  my  boss,  so  he  wouldn't  git  tired  an' 
fall  behind,  when  I  wuz  chargin'  the  hull  Shawnee 
tribe?" 

"  You'll  never  see  that  day,  Sol  Hyde.  When  we 
charge  the  Shawnee  tribe  F'll  be  in  front,  runnin'  on 
these  long  legs  uv  mine,  an'  you'll  be  'bout  a  hundred 
yards  behind,  comin'  on  in  a  kinder  doubtful  an'  hesi- 
tatin'  way." 

247 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"Here  is  good  dry  ground  now,"  said  Henry,  "and 
I  don't  think  we  need  to  go  any  farther." 

They  were  on  a  small  hilltop,  densely  covered  with 
trees,  and  the  five  gladly  threw  themselves  down 
among  the  trunks.  They  were  sure  now  that  they 
were  safe  from  pursuit,  and  they  felt  elation,  but  they 
said  little.  All  of  them  took  off  their  wet  leggings  and 
moccasins,  and  laid  them  out  to  dry,  while  they  rested 
and  ate  venison. 

"Tm  gittin'  tired,  paddlin'  'roun'  in  wet  clothes," 
said  Long  Jim,  "and  I  hope  them  things  uv  mine  will 
dry  fast,  'cause  it  would  be  bad  to  hev  to  run  fur  it 
ag'in,  b'ar-footed  this  time,  an'  with  not  much  of  any- 
thin'  on  up  to  your  waist." 

"But  think  how  much  harder  on  you  it  would  be 
ef  it  wuz  winter,"  said  the  shiftless  one.  "Ef  you  hed 
to  break  the  ice  in  the  branch  ez  you  walked  along  it, 
an'  then  when  you  come  out  hed  nothin'  but  the  snow 
to  lay  down  in  an'  rest,  it  would  be  time  fur  complain- 
in'.    Ez  Henry  says,  we're  shorely  hevin'  luck." 

"That's  true,  an'  we've  found  another  fine  inn  to 
rest  an'  sleep  in.  Ain't  this  nice  solid  dry  groun'? 
An'  them  dead  leaves  scattered  'bout  which  we  kin 
rake  up  fur  pillows  an'  beds,  are  jest  the  finest  that 
ever  fell.  An'  them  trees  are  jest  ez  big  an'  honest 
an'  friendly  ez  you  could  ask,  an'  the  bushes  are  nice 
an'  well  behaved,  an'  thar  shore  is  plenty  of  water  in 
the  forest  fur  us  to  drink.  An'  we  hev  a  good  clean  sky 
overhead.  Oh,  we  couldn't  come  to  a  nicer  inn  than 
this." 

"I'm  going  to  sleep,"  said  Paul.     "Fm  g'oing  to 


ON    THE    GREAT    TRAIL 

wrap  my  blanket  around  the  lower  half  of  me,  and  if 
the  warriors  come  please  wake  me  in  time,  so  I  can 
put  on  my  leggings  before  I  have  to  run  again." 

All  soon  slept  save  Henry  and  Ross,  and,  after  a 
while,  Henry  clothed  himself  fully,  everything  now 
being  dry,  and  with  a  word  to  Ross,  started  eastward 
through  the  forest.  He  believed  that  Blackstaffe,  Red 
Eagle  and  their  party  were  somewhere  in  that  direc- 
tion, and  he  meant  to  have  a  look  at  them.  He  was 
thoroughly  refreshed  by  their  long  rest,  and  alone  he 
felt  able  to  avoid  any  danger. 

He  advanced  through  the  forest,  a  great  flitting 
figure  that  passed  swiftly,  and  now,  that  he  was  the 
trailer  and  not  the  trailed,  all  of  his  marvelous  facul- 
ties were  at  their  zenith.  He  heard  and  saw  every- 
thing:, and  everv  odor  came  to  him.  The  overwhelm- 
ing  sense  of  freedom,  and  of  a  capacity  to  achieve  the 
impossible,  which  he  often  felt  when  he  was  alone, 
fairly  poured  in  upon  him.  The  feeling  of  success,  of 
conquest,  was  strong.  He  and  his  comrades,  so  far, 
had  triumphed  over  every  difficulty,  and  they  had  been 
many  and  great.  The  omens  were  propitious  and  there 
was  the  rising  wind  singing  among  the  leaves  the 
song  that  was  always  a  chant  of  victory  for  him. 

He  inhaled  the  odors  of  the  forest,  the  breath  of 
leaf  and  flower.  They  were  keen  and  poignant  to 
him,  and  then  came  another  odor  that  did  not  belong 
there.  It  was  brought  on  the  edge  of  the  gentle  wind, 
and  his  nostrils  expanded,  as  he  noticed  that  it  was 
growing  stronger  and  stronger.  He  knew  at  once  that 
it  was  smoke,  distant,  but  smoke  undeniably,  and  that 

249 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

it  must  come  from  a  campfire.  In  all  probability  it 
was  the  fire  of  Blackstaffe,  Red  Eagle  and  their  band. 

He  went  at  once  toward  the  smoke,  and  gradually 
the  light  of  a  fire  appeared  among  the  trees.  Approach- 
ing cautiously,  he  saw  the  correctness  of  his  surmise 
that  it  was  Blackstaffe,  Red  Eagle  and  their  band. 
Most  of  the  warriors  were  lying  down,  all  save  two 
or  three  asleep,  but  the  renegade  and  the  chief  were 
talking  earnestly.  Henry  was  eager  to  hear  what  they 
were  saying,  as  it  might  prove  of  great  value  to  him 
in  the  little  campaign  that  he  was  leading.  Since 
Wyatt  and  the  rest  of  the  band  had  not  had  time  to 
come  up,  they  could  not  yet  know  that  it  was  the  five 
with  whom  they  had  been  in  battle  that  night. 

He  resolved  that  he  would  overhear  them  at  all 
costs,  and  lying  down  in  the  bushes  he  began  to  edge 
himself  forward  in  the  slow  and  difficult  manner  of 
which  only  an  accomplished  scout  is  capable.  Fortun- 
ately the  fire  was  near  the  edge  of  a  thicket,  from 
which  he  could  hear,  but  it  took  him  a  long  time  to 
gain  the  position  he  wished,  creeping  forward,  inch 
by  inch,  and  careful  not  to  make  a  bush  or  a  leaf  rustle. 

When  he  was  at  last  in  place,  he  lay  hidden  by  the 
foliage  and  blended  with  it,  where  he  could  easily  see 
the  faces  of  Blackstaffe  and  Red  Eagle,  in  the  fire- 
light, and  hear  what  they  said. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

FIVE    AGAINST   A    THOUSAND 

RED  EAGLE  and  Blackstaffe  were  talking  in 
Shawnee,  every  word  of  which  Henry  heard 
and  understood.  They  sat  in  Turkish  fashion 
upon  the  ground,  on  the  same  side  of  the  fire,  and  the 
blaze  flickered  redly  over  the  face  of  each.  They  w^ere 
strong  faces,  primitive,  fierce  and  cunning,  but  in 
different  ways.  The  evil  fame  of  Moses  Blackstaffe, 
second  only  to  that  of  Simon  Girty,  had  been  won  by 
many  a  ruthless  deed  and  undoubted  skill  and  cunning. 
Yet  he  was  a  white  man  who  had  departed  from  the 
white  man's  ways. 

Red  Eagle,  the  great  Shawnee  chief,  was  older,  past 
fifty,  and  his  bronzed  face  w-as  lined  deeply.  His  broad 
brow  and  the  eyes  set  wide  apart,  expressed  intellect — 
the  Indian  often  had  intellect  in  a  high  degree.  He 
too  was  cruel,  able  to  look  upon  the  unmentionable 
tortures  of  his  foes  with  pleasure,  but  it  was  a  cruelty 
that  was  a  part  of  his  mheritance,  the  common  prac- 
tices of  all  the  tribes,  bred  into  the  blood,  through 
untold  generations  of  forest  life. 

Henry  felt  a  certain  respect  for  Red  Eagle,  but  none 

251 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

at  all  for  Blackstaffe.  Him  he  hated,  with  that  fierce- 
ness of  the  forest,  some  of  which  had  crept  into  his 
blood,  and  if  he  met  him  in  battle  he  would  gladly 
send  a  bullet  through  his  heart.  The  man's  face,  burnt 
almost  as  dark  as  that  of  an  Indian,  showed  now  in  its 
most  sinister  aspect.  He  was  suffering  from  chagrin, 
and  he  did  not  take  the  trouble  to  hide  it,  even  from 
so  great  a  man  as  Red  Eagle,  head  chief  of  the 
Shawnees. 

They  were  talking  of  Wyatt  and  the  band  they 
had  left  behind  for  the  siege,  and  Henry,  with  a  touch 
of  forest  humor,  enjoyed  himself  as  he  listened. 

"We  did  not  see  well  those  with  whom  we  fought 
tonight  and  w^ho  escaped  us,"  said  Red  Eagle,  ''but 
they  showed  themselves  to  be  warriors,  great  white 
warriors.  They  were  more  than  a  match  for  my  young 
men." 

"It  is  true,"  said  Blackstaffe.  *T  didn't  see  them  at 
all,  but  only  the  five  whom  we  left  besieged  in  the  cave 
could  do  what  they  did." 

"But  Wyatt  and  good  warriors  hold  them  there." 

"So  they  hoped,  but  do  they.  Red  Eagle?  The 
manner  in  which  those  scouts  escaped  from  our  circle 
makes  me  believe  their  leader  could  have  been  none  but 
this  Henry  Ware." 

"One  of  them  was  outside  the  cave.  He  may  have 
come  through  the  forest  and  have  met  other  white 
men." 

"It  might  be  so,  but  I'm  afraid  it  isn't.  They  have 
broken  the  siege  in  some  manner  and  have  eluded 
Wyatt.    I  had  hoped  that  if  he  could  not  kill  or  cap- 

252 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

ture  them  he  would  at  least  hold  them  there.  It  is 
not  well  for  us  to  have  them  hanging  upon  our  army 
and  ambushing  the  warriors." 

**You  speak  wisely,  Blackstaffe.  The  one  they  call 
Ware  is  only  a  youth,  but  he  is  full  of  wisdom  and 
bravery.  There  was  an  affair  of  the  belt  bearers,  in 
which  he  tricked  even  Yellow  Panther  and  myself. 
If  we  could  capture  him  and  make  him  become  one 
of  us,  a  red  warrior  to  fight  the  white  people  to  whom 
he  once  belonged,  he  would  add  much  to  our  strength 
in  war." 

Blackstaffe  shook  his  head  most  emphatically. 

"Don't  think  of  that  again,  great  chief,"  he  said. 
"It  is  a  waste  of  time.  He  w^ould  endure  the  most 
terrible  of  all  our  tortures  first.  Think  instead  of  his 
scalp  hanging  in  your  wigwam." 

The  eyes  of  Red  Eagle  glistened. 

"It  would  be  a  great  triumph,"  he  said,  "but  our 
young  men  have  chased  him  many  times,  and  always 
he  is  gone  like  the  deer.  We  have  set  the  trap  for  him 
often,  but  w^hen  it  falls  he  is  away.  None  shoots  so 
quickly  or  so  true  as  he,  and  if  one  of  our  young  men 
meets  him  alone  in  the  forest  it  is  the  Shawnee  over 
whom  the  birds  sing  the  death  song." 

"It's  not  his  scalp  that  w^e  want  merely  for  the 
scalp's  sake.  You  are  a  brave  and  great  chief,  O  Red 
Eagle,  and  you  know  that  Ware  and  his  comrades  are 
scouts,  spies  and  messengers.  It's  not  so  much  the 
warriors  whom  we  lose  at  their  hands,  but  they're  the 
eyes  of  the  woods.  They  always  tell  the  settlements  of 
our  coming,  and  bring  the  white  forces  together.     We 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

must  trap  them  on  this  march,  if  we  have  to  spread  out 
a  belt  of  a  hundred  warriors  to  do  it." 

"I  hope  the  net  won't  have  any  holes  in  it.  We  over- 
take the  great  band  tomorrow,  and  then  you'll  have  all 
the  warriors  you  need.  They  can  be  spread  out  on 
the  flank  as  we  march.  Hark,  Red  Eagle,  what  was 
that?" 

Henry  himself  in  his  covert  started  a  little,  as  the 
long  whine  of  a  wolf  came  from  a  point  far  behind 
them.  One  of  the  warriors  on  the  other  side  of  the 
fire  returned  the  cry,  so  piercing  and  ferocious  in  its 
note  that  Henry  started  again.  But  as  the  chief,  the 
renegade  and  all  the  warriors  rose  to  their  feet,  he 
withdrew  somewhat  further  into  the  thicket,  yet  re- 
maining where  he  could  see  all  that  might  pass. 

The  far  wolf  howled  again,  and  the  near  wolf  re- 
plied. After  that  followed  a  long  silence,  with  the 
renegade.  Red  Eagle  and  his  men,  standing  waiting 
and  eager.  The  signals  showed  that  friends  were 
coming  to  join  friends,  and  Henry  was  as  eager  as  they 
to  see  the  arrivals.  Yet  he  had  a  shrewd  suspicion  of 
their  identity. 

Dusky  figures  showed  presently  among  the  trees,  as 
a  silent  line  came  on.  Red  Eagle  and  Blackstaffe  were 
standing  side  by  side,  and  the  renegade  broke  into  a 
low  laugh. 

"So  Wyatt  comes  with  his  men,  or  most  of  them," 
he  said. 

"I  see,"  said  the  chief  in  a  tone  of  chagrin. 

"And  he  comes  without  any  prisoners." 

"But  perhaps  he  brings  scalps." 

254 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

"I  see  no  sign  of  them." 

*lt  is  yet  too  far." 

''If  they  came  bearing  scalps  they  would  raise  the 
shout  of  victory." 

Red  Eagle,  great  chief  of  the  Shawnees,  shook  his 
head  sadly. 

*'It  is  sure  that  those  whom  we  pursued  in  vain 
tonight  were  those  whom  we  left  besieged  in  the  cave." 

*'I  fear  that  you  speak  the  truth.  They  bring  no 
scalps,  nor  any  prisoners  to  walk  on  red  hot  coals." 

He  spoke  sadly  and  Henry  noted  a  certain  grim 
pathos  in  his  words,  which  were  the  words  of  a  savage. 
Yet  the  attitude  of  Red  Eagle  was  dignified  and  ma- 
jestic as  he  waited. 

The  file  came  on  fast,  Braxton  \A'yatt  at  its  head. 
When  the  younger  renegade  reached  the  fire,  he  flung 
himself  down  beside  it,  seized  a  piece  of  deer  meat, 
just  cooked,  and  began  to  eat. 

'Tm  famished  and  worn  out,"  he  said. 

'*What  did  you  do  with  the  scalps,  Braxton  ?"  asked 
Blackstaffe,  in  silky  tones — it  may  be  that  he  thought 
the  younger  renegade  assumed  too  much  at  times. 

'They're  on  the  heads  of  their  owners,"  growled 
W^yatt. 

''And  how  did  that  happen?  You  had  them  securely 
blockaded  in  a  hole  in  a  stone  wall.  I  thought  you 
had  nothing  to  do  but  wait  and  take  them." 

"See  here,  Blackstaffe,  I  don't  care  for  your  taunt- 
ing. They  slipped  out,  although  we  kept  the  closest 
watch  possible,  and  as  they  passed  they  slew  one  of 
our  best  warriors.    I  don't  know  how  it  was  managed, 

255 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

but  I  think  it  was  some  infernal  trick  of  that  fellow 
Ware.  Anyway,  we  were  left  with  an  empty  cave, 
and  then  we  came  on  as  fast  as  we  could.  We  did  our 
best,  and  I've  no  excuses  to  make." 

"I  do  not  mock  you,"  said  Red  Eagle  gravely.  "I 
have  been  tricked  by  the  fox,  Ware,  myself,  and  so  has 
Yellow  Panther,  the  head  chief  of  the  Miamis.  But 
we  will  catch  him  yet." 

"It  seems  that  we  have  not  yet  made  any  net  that 
will  hold  him,"  said  Blackstaffe  with  grim  irony. 
Since  it  was  not  he  directly,  but  Red  Eagle  and  Wyatt 
who  had  failed,  he  found  a  malicious  humor  in  taunt- 
ing them.  "It  is  the  general  belief  that  it  was  this 
same  youth,  Ware,  who  blew  up  the  scows  on  which 
we  were  to  carry  our  cannon,  and  then  sank  the  lashed 
canoes.    He  seems  to  be  uncommonly  efficient." 

Among  the  broken  men  and  criminals  who  fled  into 
the  w^oods  joining  the  Indians  and  making  war  upon 
their  own  kind,  Moses  Blackstaffe  was  an  outstanding 
character.  He  was  a  man  of  education  and  subtle 
mind.  It  w-as  understood  that  he  came  from  one  of 
the  oldest  of  the  eastern  provinces,  and  that  there  was 
innocent  blood  on  his  hands  before  he  fled.  But  now 
he  was  high  in  the  councils  of  the  Indian  nations,  and, 
like  the  white  man  of  his  type  who  turns  savage,  he 
had  become  more  cruel  than  the  savages  themselves. 

His  gaze  as  he  turned  it  upon  Braxton  Wyatt  was 
lightly  ironical,  and  his  tone  had  been  the  same. 
Again  the  younger  renegade  flushed  through  his  tan. 

"I  have  never  denied  to  him  wonderful  knowledge 
and  skill,"  he  said.     "I  have  warned  you  all  that  he 

256 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

was  the  obstacle  most  to  be  dreaded.  He  has  just 
proved  it.  Had  he  not  been  there  to  help  'em  at  the 
cave  we  should  have  got  'em  all." 

"And  they  are  giving-  the  laurels  of  Shi f less  Sol 
to  me,"  said  Henry  to  himself  in  the  thicket.  '*I  shall 
have  to  hand  them  over  to  him  when  we  go  back." 

But  the  great  Shawnee  chief,  Red  Eagle,  had  heard 
enough  talk  between  the  two  white  men.  He  was  full 
of  the  wisdom  of  his  race,  and  he  did  not  intend  that 
Blackstaffe  and  Wyatt  should  impair  their  value  to  the 
tribes  by  creating  ill  feeling  against  each  other. 

'Teace,  my  sons,"  he  said  in  his  grave  and  dignified 
manner.  "It  is  not  well  for  those  who  march  with  us 
to  taunt  each  other.  Words  that  may  be  light  in  the 
village,  breed  ill  will  on  the  war  path.  As  head  chief 
of  the  Shawnees  it  is  for  me  to  say  these  things  to 
you." 

As  Red  Eagle  stood  up  with  his  arms  folded  across 
his  broad  breast  and  his  scarlet  blanket  hooked  over 
his  shoulder,  he  looked  like  a  forest  Roman.  Henry 
thought  him  an  impressive  figure  and  such  a  thought, 
too,  was  most  likely  in  the  mind  of  Blackstaffe,  as  he 
said: 

"The  words  of  the  chief  are  wise,  and  I  obey.  Red 
Eagle  has  proved  many  and  many  a  time  that  he  is 
the  best  fitted  of  all  men  to  be  the  head  chief  of  the 
Shawnees.  Wyatt,  I  was  only  jesting.  You  and  I 
must  be  good  comrades  here." 

He  held  out  his  hand  and  as  Wyatt  took  it,  his  face 
cleared.  Then  the  three  turned  to  animated  talk  about 
their  plans.     It  was  agreed  that  they  should  push  on 

257 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

in  the  morning  at  all  speed,  and  join  the  main  band 
and  the  artillery.  Dangerous  as  these  cannon  were, 
Henry  saw  that  the  Indians  gave  them  almost  magic 
powers.  They  would  completely  blow  away  the 
settlements,  and  the  forests  would  soon  grow  again, 
where  the  white  man  had  cut  a  little  open  place  for 
himself  with  the  ax. 

The  conference  over.  Red  Eagle  wrapped  himself 
in  his  blanket  and  lay  down  with  his  feet  toward  the 
fire.  Again  Henry  felt  an  impulse  of  respect  for  him. 
He  was  true  to  his  race  and  his  inheritance,  while  the 
renegades  were  false  in  everything  to  theirs.  He  did 
not  depart  from  the  customs  and  thoughts  bred  into 
him  by  many  generations,  but  the  renegades  violated 
every  teaching  of  their  own  race  that  had  brought  civil- 
ization to  the  world,  and  he  hated  and  despised  them. 

He  saw  Blackstaffe  and  Wyatt  wrap  themselves  in 
their  blankets  and  also  lie  down  with  their  feet  to  the 
fire.  All  the  Indians  were  at  rest  save  two  sentinels. 
Henry  watched  this  strange  scene  a  few  minutes 
longer.  The  coals  were  dying  fast  and  now  he  saw 
but  indistinctly  the  figures  of  white  men  and  red  men, 
joined  in  a  compact  to  destroy  his  people  utterly,  from 
the  oldest  man  and  woman  to  the  youngest  child. 

Henry  did  not  know  it,  but  he  was  as  much  a  knight 
of  chivalry  and  romance  as  any  mailed  figure  that  ever 
rode  with  glittering  lance.  Beneath  the  buckskin  hunt- 
ing shirt  beat  a  heart  as  dauntless  as  that  of  /Vmadis 
of  Gaul  or  Palmerin  of  England,  although  there  were 
no  bards  in  the  great  forest  to  sing  of  his  deeds  and  of 
the  deeds  of  those  like  him. 

258 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

He  intended  to  stay  only  two  or  three  minutes 
longer,  but  he  lingered  nevertheless.  The  Indian 
cainpfire  gave  forth  hardly  a  glimmer.  The  figures 
save  those  of  the  sentinels  became  invisible.  The  wind 
blew  gently  and  sang  among  the  leaves,  as  if  the  forest 
were  always  a  forest  of  peace,  although  from  time 
immemorial,  throughout  the  world,  it  had  been  stained 
by  bloodshed.  But  the  forest  spell  which  came  over 
him  at  times  was  upon  him  now.  The  rippling  of  the 
leaves  under  the  wind  he  translated  into  words,  and 
once  more  they  sang  to  him  the  song  of  success. 

This  new  task  of  his,  straight  through  the  heart  of 
danger,  had  been  achieved,  and  in  his  modesty,  which 
was  a  modesty  of  thought  as  well  as  word,  he  did  not 
ascribe  it  to  any  strength  or  skill  in  himself,  but  to 
the  fact  that  a  Supreme  Being  had  chosen  him  for  a 
time  as  an  instrument,  and  was  working  through  him. 
Like  nearly  all  who  live  in  the  forest  and  spend  most 
of  their  lives  in  the  presence  of  nature,  he  invariably 
felt  the  powder  of  invisible  forces,  directed  by  an  om- 
niscient and  omnipotent  mind,  which  the  Indian  has 
crystallized  into  the  name  Manitou,  the  same  as  God 
to  Henry. 

For  that  reason  this  forest  spell  was  also  the  spirit 
of  thankfulness.  He  had  been  guided  and  directed  so 
far,  and  he  felt  that  the  guidance  and  direction  would 
continue.  All  the  omens  and  prophecies  remained 
good,  and,  with  the  wind  in  the  leaves  still  singing  the 
song  of  victory  in  his  ears,  he  silently  crept  away,  inch 
by  inch,  even  as  he  had  come.  Well  beyond  the  Indian 
ear,  he  rose  and  returned  swiftly  to  his  comrades. 

259 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Ross  was  still  on  guard  and  the  others  sleeping  when 
Henry's  figure  appeared  through  the  dusk,  but  they 
awoke  and  sat  up  when  he  called,  low,  to  them. 

*' What  are  you  w^akin'  us  up  fur,  Henry  ?"  asked  the 
shiftless  one,  as  he  rubbed  a  sleepy  eye.  "Are  the 
warriors  comin'?  Ef  so,  Td  like  to  put  on  my  silk 
knee  breeches,  an'  my  bee-yu-ti-ful  new  silk  stockin's 
an'  my  new  shoes  with  the  big  silver  buckles,  afore  I 
run  through  the  forest  fur  my  hfe." 

"No,  they're  not  coming,  Sol,"  said  Henry. 
"They're  asleep  off  there  and  tomorrow  morning 
Blackstaffe,  Braxton  Wyatt,  Red  Eagle  and  the  others 
hurry  on  to  join  the  main  band." 

"How  do  you  know  that,  Henry?" 

"They  told  me." 

"You've  been  settin'  laughin'  an'  talkin'  with  'em, 
right  merry,  I  reckon." 

"They  told  me,  just  as  I  said.  They  told  me  their 
plan  in  good  plain  Shawnee." 

"An'  how  come  Braxton  Wyatt  with  Red  Eagle  and 
Blackstaffe?" 

"Leaving  a  fruitless  quest,  he  overtook  them.  I  was 
lying  in  the  thicket,  in  hearing  distance,  when  Wyatt 
came  up  with  his  men,  joined  Blackstaffe  and  Red 
Eagle,  and  had  to  tell  them  of  his  failure." 

"You  shorely  do  hev  all  the  luck,  Henry.  I'd  hev 
risked  my  life  an'  risked  it  mighty  close,  to  hev  seed 
that  scene." 

Then  Henry  told  them  more  in  detail  of  the  meet- 
ing and  of  the  plans  that  Red  Eagle  and  the  two 
renegades  had  talked  over,  drawing  particular  atten- 

260 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

tion  to  the  net  the  Indians  intended  to  spread  for  the 
five. 

"  Tears  to  me/'  said  Shif'less  Sol,  "that  the  right 
thing  fur  us  to  do  is  to  make  a  big  curve — we're  hefty 
on  curves — an'  go  clear  'roun'  in  front  of  the  band. 
They'll  be  lookin'  fur  us  everywhere,  'cept  right  thar, 
an'  while  they're  a-plottin'  an'  a-plannin'  an'  a-spread- 
in'  out  their  nets,  we'll  be  a-plottin'  an'  a-plannin'  an' 
mebbe  a-doin'  too  what  we've  undertook  to  do." 

"The  very  thing,"  said  Henry. 

"A  true  strategic  march,"  said  Paul. 

"Looks  like  sense,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

"You  do  hev  rays  o'  reason  at  times,  Sol,"  said  Long 
Jim. 

"Then  it's  agreed,"  said  Henry.  We'll  take  a  little 
more  rest,  and,  soon  after  daylight,  we'll  start  on  one 
of  our  great  flying  marches." 

Paul  and  Long  Jim  kept  the  watch,  and,  not  long 
after  the  sun  rose,  they  were  up  and  away  again.  They 
were  now  beginning  to  forge  another  link  in  their 
chain,  and,  as  usual,  the  spirits  of  all  five  rose  when 
they  began  a  fresh  enterprise.  Their  feet  were  light, 
as  they  sped  forward,  and  every  sense  was  acute.  They 
were  without  fear  as  they  marched  on  the  arc  of  the 
great  circle  that  they  had  planned.  They  were  leaving 
so  wide  a  space  between  themselves  and  the  great  trail 
that  they  could  only  meet  a  wandering  Indian  hunter 
or  two,  and  of  all  such  they  could  take  care  easily. 

In  truth,  so  free  were  they  from  any  kind  of  appre- 
hension, that  plenty  of  room  was  left  in  their  minds 
to  take  note  of  the  wilderness,  which  was  here  new 

261  ,j^ 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL  , 

to  them.  But  it  was  their  wilderness,  nevertheless,  all 
these  fine  streams  and  rolling  hills,  and  deer  that 
sprang  up  from  their  path,  and  the  magnificent  forest 
everywhere  clothing  the  earth  in  its  beautiful  robe  of 
deepest  green,  which  in  the  autumn  would  be  an 
equally  beautiful  robe  of  red  and  yellow  and  brown. 

Their  curve  was  toward  the  west,  and  all  that  day 
they  followed  it.  They  saw  the  golden  sun  go  creep- 
ing up  the  blue  arch  of  the  heavens,  hang  for  a  while 
at  the  zenith,  as  if  it  were  poised  there  to  pour  down 
perpendicular  beams,  and  then  go  sliding  slowly  down 
the  western  sky  to  be  lost  in  a  red  sea  of  fire.  And  the 
view  of  all  the  glory  of  the  world,  though  they  saw  it 
every  day,  was  fresh  and  keen  to  them  all.  The  shift- 
less one  was  moved  to  speech. 

"When  I  go  off  to  some  other  planet,"  he  said,  'T 
don't  want  any  new  kind  o'  a  world.  I  want  it  to  be 
like  this  with  big  rivers  and  middle-sized  rivers  and 
little  rivers,  all  kinds  o'  streams  an'  lakes,  and  the 
woods,  green  in  the  spring  an'  red  an'  yellow  in  the 
fall,  an'  winter,  too,  which  hez  its  beauties  with  snow 
an'  ice,  an'  red  roarin'  fires  to  keep  you  warm,  an'  the 
deer  an'  the  buff'ler  to  hunt.  I  want  them  things  'cause 
I'm  used  to  'em.  A  strange,  new  kind  o'  world  wouldn't 
please  me.  I  hold  with  the  Injuns  that  want  to  go  to 
the  Happy  Huntin'  Grounds,  an'  I  'xpect  it's  the  kind 
o'  Heaven  that  the  Book  means  fur  fellers  like  me." 

''Do  you  think  you're  good  enough  to  go  to  Heaven, 
Sol?"  asked  Long  Jim. 

The  shiftless  one  deliberated  a  moment  and  then 
replied  thoughtfully : 

262 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

*'I  ain't  so  good,  Jim,  but  I  reckon  I'm  good  enough 
to  go  to  Heaven.  People  bein'  what  people  be,  an'  me 
bein'  what  I  am,  all  with  a  pow'ful  lot  to  fight  ag'inst 
an'  born  with  somethin'  o'  the  old  Nick  in  us,  an'  not 
bein'  able  to  change  our  naturs  much,  no  matter  how 
hard  we  try,  I  reckon  I  hev  a  mighty  fine  chance  o' 
Heaven,  which,  ez  I  said,  I  w^ant  to  be  a  world,  right 
smart  like  this,  only  a  heap  bigger  an'  finer.  But  I 
don't  mean  to  go  thar  for  seventy  or  eighty  years  yet, 
'cause  I  want  to  give  this  earth  a  real  fa'r  trial." 

In  which  the  shiftless  one  had  his  wish,  as  he  lived 
to  be  a  hundred,  and  his  eyes  were  clear  and  his  voice 
strong  to  the  last. 

"That's  a  mighty  fine  picture  you  draw,  Sol,"  said 
Long  Jim,  appreciatively,  "an'  if  you're  up  thar  settin' 
on  the  bank  uv  a  river  that  looks  plum'  like  runnin* 
silver  with  green  trees  a  thousand  feet  high  risin' 
behind  you,  you  ketchin'  fish  thirty  or  forty  feet  long, 
an'  ef  you  should  happen  to  turn  an'  look  'roun'  an' 
see  comin'  tow'ard  you  a  long-legged  ornery  feller  that 
you  used  ter  cahoot  wnth  in  the  wilderness  on  both 
sides  uv  the  Ohio,  would  you  rise  up,  drop  them  big 
fish  an'  your  fishin'  pole,  come  straight  between  the 
trunks  uv  them  green  trees  a  thousand  feet  high 
toward  that  ornery  lookin'  long-legged  feller  what  wuz 
new  to  the  place,  stretch  out  your  right  hand  to  him, 
an'  say :  'Welcome  to  Heaven  Long  Jim  Hart.  Come 
right  in  an'  make  yourself  to  home,  'cause  you're  goin' 
to  live  wnth  us  a  million  an'  a  billion  years,  an'  all  the 
rest  uv  the  time  thar  is.  Your  fishin'  pole  is  down 
thar  by  the  bank.    I've  been  savin'  it  fur  you.     Henry 

263 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

is  'bout  a  mile  farther  up  the  stream  pullin'  in  a  whale 
two  hundred  feet  long  that  he's  had  his  eye  on  fur 
some  time.  Paul  is  down  thar,  settin'  under  a  bush 
readin'  a  book  uv  gold  letters  on  silver  paper  with 
diamonds  set  in  the  cover,  an'  Tom  Ross  is  on  that 
hill,  'way  acrost  yonder,  lookin'  at  a  herd  uv  buff'ler 
fifty  miles  wide  which  hez  been  travelin'  past  fur  a 
month.'  Now,  Sol,  would  you  give  your  old  pardner 
that  kind  uv  a  welcome  ?" 

"Would  I  Jim?  You  know  I  would.  Pd  blow  on 
a  trumpet  an'  call  all  the  boys  straight  from  what  they 
wuz  doin'  to  come  a-runnin'  an'  meet  you.  An'  Pd 
interduce  you  to  all  our  new  friends.  An'  Pd  show 
you  the  best  huntin'  grounds  an'  the  finest  fishin'  holes 
right  away,  an'  when  night  come  all  o'  us  with  our  new 
friends  would  hev  a  big  feast  an'  celebration  over  you. 
An'  all  o'  us  thar  in  Heaven  that  knowed  you,  Jim, 
would  be  right  proud  o'  you." 

"I  knowed  that  you'd  take  me  right  in,  Sol,"  said 
Long  Jim,  as  they  shook  hands  over  the  future. 

"Now  for  the  night,"  said  Henry.  "We  must  be  at 
least  fifteen  miles  west  of  the  great  trail,  and  as  the 
woods  are  so  full  of  game  I  don't  think  any  of  the 
Indian  hunters  will  find  it  necessary  to  come  this  far 
for  it.  So,  I  propose  that  we  have  a  little  warm  food 
ourselves.    We  need  it  by  this  time." 

"That's  the  talk,"  said  Long  Jim.  "It  would  be  jest 
a  taste  uv  Heaven  right  now.  What  wuz  you  thinkin' 
to  hev  fur  our  supper  table,  Henry?" 

"I  had  an  idea  that  all  of  us  would  like  turkey.  I've 
been  noticing  turkey  signs  for  some  time,  and  there, 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

Jim!  don't  you  hear  that  gobbhng  away  off  to  the 
right?  They're  setthng  into  the  trees  for  the  night, 
and  it  should  be  easy  to  get  a  couple.  Just  now  I 
think  turkey  would  be  the  finest  thing  in  the  world." 

"I've  a  mighty  strong  hankerin'  after  turkey  myself 
an'  the  way  I  kin  cook  turkey  is  a  caution  to  sinners. 
Ever  since  you  said  turkeys  a  half  minute  ago,  Henry, 
I'm  famishin'.  Bring  on  your  turkey,  the  cook's 
ready." 

"Me  an'  Sol  will  go  an'  git  'em,"  said  Tom  Ross, 
and  the  two  slipped  away  in  the  twilight  toward  the 
sound  of  the  gobbling.  Presently  they  heard  two  shots 
and  then  the  hunters  came  back,  each  with  a  fat  bird. 
Selecting  a  dip  from  which  flames  could  be  seen  only  a 
little  distance,  they  dressed  the  turkeys  in  frontier 
fashion  and  Long  Jim,  his  culinary  pride  strong  within 
him,  cooked  them  to  a  turn.  Then  they  ate  long,  and 
were  unashamed. 

"Jest  a  touch  o'  Heaven  right  now,"  said  Shif'less 
Sol,  in  tones  of  deep  conviction.  "This  is  the  healthy 
life  here,  an'  it  makes  a  feller  jump  when  he  oughter 
jump.  Me  bein'  a  naterally  lazy  man,  I'd  be  likely  to 
lay  'roun'  an'  eat  myself  so  fat  I  couldn't  w^alk,  but  the 
Injun's  don't  give  me  time.  Jest  when  I  begin  to  put  on 
flesh  they  take  after  me  an'  I  run  it  all  off.  You 
wouldn't  think  it,  but  Injuns  has  their  uses,  arter 
all." 

"Keep  people  from  comin'  out  here  too  fast,"  said 
Ross.  "Think  they  waiz  put  in  the  wilderness  to  save 
it,  an'  they  will,  long  after  my  time." 

"Why,  Tom,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "you're  be- 

265 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

comin'  real  talkative.  I  think  that's  the  longest  speech 
I  ever  heard  you  make." 

"Tom  is  certainly  growing  garrulous,"  said  Paul. 

Silent  Tom  blushed  despite  his  tan. 

'Tm  through,  anyway,"  he  said. 

*'Guess  Sol  thought  Tom  wuz  takin'  part  uv  his 
time,"  said  Long  Jim  Hart.  'That's  why  he  spoke 
up.  Sol  claims  all  uv  his  own  time  fur  talkin',  all  uv 
Tom's,  an'  all  the  rest  that  may  be  left  over  by  any 
uv  us." 

"Mighty  little  you  ever  leave  over,  Jim,"  said  the 
shiftless  one.  "Besides,  there's  a  dif'rence  between 
you  an'  me  talkin'.  When  I  talk  I'm  always  say  in' 
somethin';  but  yourn  is  jest  a  runnin'  gabble,  like  the 
flowin'  uv  a  creek,  always  the  same  an'  meanin' 
nothin'." 

"Well,"  said  Henry,  "we've  had  plenty  of  good  fat 
turkey,  an'  it  was  cooked  mighty  fine,  in  Long  Jim's 
best  style,  but  there's  some  left,  which  I  think  we'd 
better  pack  in  our  knapsacks  for  tomorrow." 

After  putting  away  the  food  for  a  later  need,  they 
carefully  smothered  the  last  coal  of  the  fire,  and  then, 
as  a  precaution,  should  the  flame  have  been  seen  by 
any  wandering  warrior,  they  moved  a  mile  farther 
west  and  sat  down  in  a  little  hollow  where  they  re- 
mained until  well  past  midnight,  all  sleeping  save  a 
guard  of  one,  turns  being  taken.  About  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning  they  started  again,  traveling  at  great 
speed,  and  did  not  stop  until  noon  of  the  next  day. 
They  delayed  only  a  half -hour  for  food,  water  and 
rest,  and  pressed  on  at  the  long,  running  walk  of  the 

.   266 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

border  that  put  miles  behind  them  at  an  amazing-  rate. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  they  came  to  high  hills 
clothed,  hke  the  rest  of  the  country,  in  magnificent 
forest,  and,  while  the  others  watched  below,  Henry 
climbed  the  tallest  tree  that  he  could  find.  The  sun 
was  declining,  but  the  east  was  yet  brilliant,  and  he 
saw  faintly  across  it  a  dark  line  that  he  had  expected. 
The  great  Indian  camp  surely  lay  at  the  base  of  the 
dark  line,  and  when  he  descended  he  and  his  comrades 
began  to  curve  toward  the  east. 

Morning  would  find  them  ahead  of  the  Indian  army, 
and  between  it  and  the  settlements.  Every  one  of 
them  felt  a  thrill  of  excitement,  even  elation.  The 
forging  of  the  new^  link  in  the  chain  was  proceeding 
w-ell,  and  brilliant  success  gives  wonderful  encourage- 
ment. They  did  not  know  just  what  they  would  do 
next,  but  four  trusted  to  the  intuition  and  prowess  of 
their  daring  young  leader. 

Their  minds  were  at  such  high  tension  that  they  did 
not  sleep  much  that  night,  and  when  dawn  came  again 
they  had  traveled  so  far  that  they  calculated  they  had 
arrived  at  the  right  point  of  the  circle.  It  was  a  ques- 
tion, however,  that  could  be  decided  easily.  Henry 
again  climbed  the  highest  tree  in  the  vicinity,  and  look- 
ing toward  the  north  now  saw  the  smoke  of  the  same 
campfire  apparently  three  or  four  miles  away. 

"Are  they  thar,  Henry?"  asked  Shifless  Sol,  as  he 
climbed  down. 

"Yes.  They  haven't  moved  since  sundown  yester- 
day, and  I  judge  they're  in  no  hurry.  I  fancy  the 
warriors  suppose  the  cannon  can  easily  secure  them 

267 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  victory,  no  matter  how  much  we  may  prepare 
against  them,  and  the  Enghshmen  are  probably  weary 
from  hard  traveling  through  the  forest." 

"I  guess  all  that's  true,  but  they'll  shorely  start  in 
an  hour  or  two  anyway,  an'  then  what  are  we  to  do  to 
stop  'em?" 

The  eyes  of  the  great  youth  filled  with  sudden  fire. 

"We're  five  against  a  thousand,"  he  said.  "We've 
rifles  against  cannon,  but  we  can  do  something.  We're 
coming  to  the  edge  of  a  country  that  I  know.  Three 
miles  to  the  south  of  us  is  a  river  or  deep  creek  that 
can't  be  waded,  except  at  a  place  betwxen  two  hills. 
The  Indians  know  that  ford,  and  so  they'll  make  for  it. 
We'll  be  on  the  other  side,  and  we'll  hold  the  ford." 

The  others  stared  at  him. 

"Henry,"  exclaimed  Paul,  "you  just  said  that  we 
were  five  against  a  thousand,  and  rifles  against  cannon, 
now  how  could  w^e  possibly  hold  the  ford  against  such 
an  army  ?  Besides,  the  Indian  warriors,  by  scores,  could 
swim  the  river  elsewhere,  and  flank  us  on  either  side." 

"I  don't  mean  that  we  shall  hold  it  a  long  time. 
We'll  make  'em  give  battle,  stop  'em  for  a  while,  and 
then,  when  the  flankers  swim  the  stream  we'll  be  gone. 
We  will  not  let  ourselves  be  seen,  and  they  may  think 
it  a  large  force,  retiring  merely  because  their  own  army 
is  larger." 

"That  is,  w^e've  got  to  give  'em  a  skeer,"  said  Long 
Jim. 

"Exactly.  We  want  to  make  those  Indians  think 
that  Manitou  is  against  'era  We  want  to  sow  in  their 
minds  the  seeds  of  fear  and  superstition.     You  know 

268 


FIVE    AGAINST    A    THOUSAND 

how  they're  influenced  by  omens  and  things  they  can't 
understand.  If  we  give  'em  a  brisk  httle  fight  at  the 
ford,  and  then  get  away,  unseen,  it  will  set  them  to 
doubting,  and  plant  in  their  minds  the  fear  of  ambush 
by  large  forces." 

The  face  of  the  shiftless  one  shone. 

"That  suits  me  clean  down  to  the  ground,"  he  said. 
"It's  wile  an'  stratagem  which  I  like.  Lead  on  to  this 
ford,  Henry,  an'  we'll  lay  down  an'  rest  beside  it  till 
they  come  up." 

The  others  showed  as  much  enthusiasm,  and,  care- 
fully hiding  their  trail,  they  reached  the  ford,  which 
they  found  highly  favorable  to  their  purpose.  Save 
here  the  banks  of  the  river  were  high  on  both  sides, 
and  the  gorge,  through  w^hich  the  red  army  with  its 
cannon  and  wagons  must  approach  the  ford,  was  not 
more  than  twenty  feet  wide.  On  both  banks  the  forest 
was  unbroken  and  there  were  many  dense  thickets. 

"This  place  was  shorely  made  fur  an  ambush,"  said 
the  shiftless  one  as  they  waded  across.  "Ef  we  had  a 
hundred  good  men  we  could  turn  back  their  whole 
army  for  good,  'cause  they  can't  flank  so  easy,  ez  them 
high  banks  on  both  sides  run  ez  fur  ez  I  kin  see." 

"And  here  is  the  thicket  in  which  we  can  lie,"  said 
Paul. 

"They  can't  catch  a  glimpse  of  us  from  the  other 
side.  They  can  see  only  the  fire  and  smoke  of  our 
rifles,"  said  Henry. 

"An'  since  we're  here  in  our  nest,"  said  Shi f 'less 
Sol,  "we'd  better  set  still  an'  rest  till  they  come  up. 
I  'low  we'll  need  all  our  strength  an'  nerves  then." 

269 


CHAPTER    XIV 


HOLDING  THE  FORD 


THE  five  lay  down  in  the  thicket,  completely 
hidden  themselves,"  but  commanding  a  splendid 
view  of  the  deep,  clear  stream  and  the  gorge  by 
which  the  red  army  must  approach.  They  were  calm 
in  manner,  nevertheless  their  hearts  were  beating  high. 
The  sunshine  was  so  brilliant  that  every  object  was 
distinct  far  up  the  gorge,  and  Henry  felt  sure  the 
Indian  army  would  come  into  sight,  while  it  was  yet 
beyond  rifle  shot.  Nor  were  the  leaders  likely  to  send 
forward  scouts  and  skirmishers,  as  they  apprehended 
no  danger  in  front.  It  was  on  their  flank  or  rear  that 
they  expected  the  five  to  hang. 

The  five  did  not  speak  and  the  silence  was  complete, 
save  for  the  usual  noises  of  the  forest.  Birds  chattered 
overhead.  Little  animals  rustled  now  and  then  in  the 
thickets,  fish  leaped  in  the  river,  but  there  was  no  sound 
to  indicate  that  man  w^as  near.  They  were  not  nervous 
nor  restless.  Inured  to  danger,  waiting  had  become 
almost  a  mechanical  act,  and  they  were  able  to  lie  per- 
fectly still,  however  long  the  time  might  be. 

They  saw  the  column  of  smoke  fade,  and  then  go 

2/0 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

quite  away.  There  was  not  a  fleck  on  the  sky  of  blaz- 
ing blue,  and  Henry  knew  that  the  red  army  had 
broken  up  its  camp,  and  was  on  the  march.  He  had  a 
sudden  fear  that  they  might  send  ahead  scouts  and 
skirmishers,  but  reflection  brought  him  back  to  his 
original  belief  that  they  would  not  do  so,  as  they 
would  not  foresee  the  transference  of  the  five  to  their 
front. 

The  hours  passed  and  Shif'less  Sol,  who  had  been 
lying  flat  upon  the  ground,  raised  his  head. 

*T  hear  wheels,"  he  said  laconically. 

Henry  put  his  own  ear  to  the  ground. 

"So  do  I,"  he  said. 

"Wheels  of  cannon  and  wagons." 

"Beyond  a  doubt." 

"Them  that  we're  lookin'  fur." 

"There  are  no  others  in  the  wilderness.  Long  Jim, 
how's  your  voice  today?" 

"Never  better,  Henry.  I  could  talk  to  a  man  a  mile 
away.     Why  ?" 

"Because  I  may  want  you  to  give  out  some  terrible 
yells  soon,  the  white  man's  yells,  understand,  and,  as 
you  give  'em,  you're  to  skip  about  like  lightning  from 
place  to  place.  This  is  a  case  in  w^hich  one  man  must 
seem  to  be  a  hundred." 

"I  understand,  Henry,"  said  Long  Jim  proudly, 
tapping  his  chest.  "I  reckon  I'm  to  be  the  figger  in 
this  fight,  an',  bein'  ez  so  much  is  dependin'  on  me,  I 
won't  fail.  My  lungs  w'uz  never  better.  I've  had  a 
new  leather  linin'  put  inside  'em,  an'  they  kin  work 
without  stoppin',  day  an'  night,  fur  a  week." 

271 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"All  right,  Jim.  Do  your  proudest,  and  the  others 
are  to  help,  but  you're  to  be  the  yell  leader,  and  the 
better  you  yell  the  better  it  will  be  for  all  of  us." 

"I'll  be  right  thar  Henry." 

"They'll  soon  be  in  sight,"  said  the  shiftless  one, 
who  had  not  taken  his  ear  from  the  ground.  "I  kin 
hear  the  wheels  a-creakin'  and  a-creakin',  louder  an' 
louder." 

"And  they  have  not  sent  forward  anybody  to  spy 
out  the  country,  which  is  better  for  us,"  said  Henry. 

"An'  now*  I  kin  hear  somethin'  else,"  said  Shif'less 
Sol.  "They're  singin'  a  war  song  which  ain't  usual 
when  so  many  are  on  the  march,  but  they  reckon 
they've  got  at  least  two  or  three  hundred  white  scalps 
ez  good  ez  took  already." 

Now  the  ferocious  chant,  sung  in  Shawnee,  which 
they  understood,  came  plainly  to  them.  It  was  a  song 
of  anticipation,  and  when  they  translated  it  to  them- 
selves it  ran  something  like  this : 

To  the  land  of  Kaintuckee  we  have  come, 
Wielders  of  the  bow  and  the  tomahawk,  we, 
Shawnee  and  Miami,  Wyandot  and  Delaware 
Matchless  in  march  and  battle  we  come, 
Great  is  Manitou. 

The  white  man  will  fall  like  leaves  before  us, 
His  houses  to  the  fire  we  will  give. 
All  shall  perish  under  our  mighty  blows, 
And  the  forest  will  grow  over  his  home, 
Great  is  Manitou. 

272 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

It  went  on  in  other  verses,  rising  above  the  creak  of 
the  wheels,  a  fierce,  droning  chant  that  drummed  upon 
the  nerves  and  inflamed  the  brain.  Much  of  its  power 
came  from  its  persistency  upon  the  same  beat  and 
theme,  until  the  great  chorus  became  like  the  howling 
of  thousands  of  wolves  for  their  prey. 

''Ef  I  couldn't  feel  my  scalp  on  my  head  right  now," 
said  Shif'less  Sol,  ''I'd  be  shore  that  one  o'  them  de- 
mons out  thar  had  it  in  his  hands,  whirlin'  it  'roun' 
an    roun  . 

''Guess  I  won't  need  nothin'  more  to  make  me  yell 
my  very  darndest,''  said  Long  Jim. 

"They'll  be  in  sight  in  a  minute  or  two,"  said  Paul, 
"and  I'm  truly  thankful  that  we  have  ground  so  favor- 
able.    We  wouldn't  have  a  chance  without  it." 

"That's  so,"  said  Henry,  "and  we  must  never  lose 
our  heads  for  a  minute.     If  we  do  we're  gone." 

"Anyway,  surprise  will  be  a  help  to  us,"  said  Shif'- 
less Sol,  'cause  all  the  signs  show  that  they  don't 
dream  we're  here.  But  jest  to  ourselves,  boys,  I'm 
mighty  glad  that  river  is  between  us  an'  them.  Did 
you  ever  hear  sech  a  war  chant?  Why,  it  freezes  me 
right  into  the  marrer!" 

"They've  gone  mad  with  triumph  before  they've 
won  it,"  said  Henry.  "They  intoxicate  themselves 
with  singing  and  dancing.  Look  at  those  fellows  on 
the  outer  edges  of  the  line  jumping  up  and  down." 

"An'  did  you  ever  see  savages  more  loaded  down 
with  war  paint?''  said  Long  Jim.  "Why,  I  think  it 
must  be  an  inch  thick  on  the  faces  uv  them  dancers 
an'  jumpers  1" 

273 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAH. 

The  forest,  in  truth,  had  beheld  few  sights  as  sinister 
as  this  Indian  army  advancing,  keeping  step  to  its 
ferocious  chant.  Henry  saw  Yellow  Panther  come 
into  view,  and  then  Red  Eagle,  and  then  the  rumbling 
guns  with  their  gimners,  and  then  Blackstaffe  and 
Wyatt,  and  then  the  English  Colonel,  Alloway,  his 
second,  Cartwright,  and  tliree  or  four  more  officers 
riding.  After  them  came  tlie  caissons  and  the  other 
ammunition  wagons,  and  then  more  warriors,  hun- 
dreds and  hundeds,  joining  in  that  ferocious  whining 
chorus.  The  red  coats  of  the  British  officers  lent  a 
strange  and  incongruous  touch  to  this  scene  of  forest 
and  savage  warfare. 

"  I  don't  like  to  shoot  a  white  man  from  ambush," 
said  Henry,  ''  but  I'd  be  perfectly  walling  to  send  a 
bullet  through  the  head  of  that  Colonel  Alloway.  It 
would  help  our  people — save  them,  perhaps — because 
without  the  British  the  Indians  can't  use  the  guns." 

"  You  won't  git  a  chance,  Henry,"  said  Long  Jim. 
"He's  too  fur  back.  The  warriors  will  come  into  range 
fust,  an'  we'll  hev  to  open  fire  on  'em.  I  don't  see  no 
signs  of  flankers  turnin'  off  from  the  crossin'." 

"  No,  they  won't  send  'em  up  such  high  hills  when 
they  don't  think  any  enemies  are  near.  Make  ready, 
boys.  The  foremost  warriors  are  now  in  range.  I 
hate  to  shoot  at  red  men,  even,  from  ambush,  but  it 
has  to  be  done." 

Five  muzzles  were  thrust  forward  in  the  bushes,  and 
five  pairs  of  keen  eyes  looked  down  the  sights,  as  on 
came  the  chanting  army,  painted  and  horrible.  The 
vanguard  would  soon  be  at  the  water. 

274 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

"  Be  sure  you  don't  miss,"  said  Henry.  "  The  more 
deadly  our  first  blow  the  better  chance  we  have  to 
win." 

Every  one  of  the  five  concentrated  all  his  faculties 
upon  his  target.  He  saw  or  thought  of  nothing  but 
the  painted  chest  or  face  upon  which  he  directed  his 
aim. 

'*  Ready,"  said  Henry. 

Five  gunlocks  clicked. 

"Fire!" 

Five  triggers  were  pulled,  and  five  streams  of  flame 
darted  from  the  bushes.  Never  had  the  five  aimed 
bullets  to  better  purpose,  since  their  targets,  broad  and 
close,  lay  before  them.  Five  warriors  flung  up  their 
arms,  and  uttering  the  death  howl,  fell.  A  tremendous 
yell  of  surprise  and  rage  arose  from  the  Indians,  and 
they  crowded  back  upon  one  another,  appalled,  for  the 
moment,  by  the  sudden  and  deadly  messengers  of 
death. 

"  Now,  Jim,  now !"  exclaimed  Henry.  "  Yell  as 
if  you  were  a  thousand  men.  Run  up  and  down  in 
the  bushes  that  your  yells  may  come  from  point  to 
point!   Shout,  man,  shout!" 

Long  Jim  needed  no  command.  His  tremendous 
battle  cry  burst  out,  as  he  rushed  back  and  forth  in  the 
thickets.  It  was  some  such  shout  as  the  old  Vikings 
must  have  uttered,  and  it  pealed  out  like  the  regular 
beat  of  a  big  drum.  It  expressed  challenge  and  defi- 
ance, victory  and  revenge,  and,  to  the  ears  of  the  red 
hearers  on  the  other  shores,  the  thickets  seemed  fairly 
to  swarm  with  fighting  men.     The  four  added  their 

275 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

efforts  to  those  of  Long  Jim,  but  their  cries  formed 
merely  a  chorus,  above  which  swelled  the  thundering 
note  of  the  forest  Stentor. 

The  cords  in  Long  Jim's  throat  swelled,  his  cheeks 
bulged,  his  eyes  stood  out,  but  his  voice  never  broke. 
Without  failing  for  an  instant,  it  poured  forth  its 
mighty  stream  of  challenge  and  invective,  and  the 
others,  as  they  reloaded  in  all  haste,  looked  at  him  with 
pride.  It  was  their  own  Long  Jim,  he  of  the  long  legs 
and  long  throat,  who  had  made  many  a  great  effort 
before,  but  none  like  this. 

The  warriors  had  recoiled  still  further.  Both  Yel- 
low Panther  and  Red  Eagle  drew  back  in  the  ruck. 
The  singing  of  the  warriors  ceased,  and,  with  it,  ceased 
the  creaking  wheels  of  the  cannon  and  ammunition 
wagons.  Henry  saw  Alloway  and  his  officers  stop, 
and  he  looked  once  more  at  the  colonel,  but  it  was  too 
far  for  certainty,  and  they  must  not  send  forward  any 
shots  that  missed.  In  front  of  the  recoiling  army  lay 
five  dark  figures  on  the  green,  and  they  must  continue 
with  the  deadliness  of  their  fire  to  create  the  impres- 
sion of  great  numbers.  f 

"  Now  boys  !  "  exclaimed  Henry.  "  Again  !  Steady 
and  true. !  " 

Five  rifles  cracked  together  and  Long  Jim,  who  had 
ceased  only  long  enough  to  aim  and  pull  the  trigger 
resumed  his  terrific  chant.  This  time  three  of  the 
warriors  were  slain  and  two  wounded.  Henry,  a  true 
general,  quickly  changed  the  position  of  his  army, 
Long  Jim  still  shouting,  and  no  missile  from  the  fire 
poured  out  now  by  the  Indians,  touching  them.    A  few 

276 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

of  the  bullets  entered  the  portion  of  the  thicket  where 
they  had  crouched,  but  the  rest  fell  short.  A  great 
flight  of  arrows  was  sent  forth,  but  the  distance  was 
too  great  for  them,  and  with  most  of  the  bullets  they 
fell  splashing  into  the  water. 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  Henry,  "creep  back  and  forth, 
and  pick  your  warriors  !  There's  plenty  for  all  of  us, 
and  nobody  need  be  jealous  !  If  you  can  get  any  of 
the  white  gunners  so  much  the  better  !  ** 

And  they  responded  with  all  the  fire  and  skill  and 
courage  belonging  to  such  forest  knights,  knights  as 
brave  and  true  and  unselfish  as  any  that  ever  trod  the 
earth.  Five  against  a  thousand  !  Young  forest  run- 
ners against  an  army  !  Rifles  against  cannon  they 
yet  held  the  ford  and  flung  terror  into  the  hearts  of 
their  foes!  Before  that  rain  of  death,  and  that  thun- 
dering chorus  of  mighty  voices,  coming  from  many 
points,  the  warriors  recoiled  yet  farther,  and  were 
stricken  wuth  superstitious  dread  by  the  sudden  and 
mortal  attack  from  an  invisible  foe.  Even  the  face 
of  Alloway,  and  he  was  brave  enough,  blanched.  This 
was  Something  beyond  his  reckoning,  something  of 
which  no  man  would  have  dreamed,  he  was  not  used 
to  the  vast  and  sinister  forest — sinister  to  him — and 
the  invisible  stroke  appalled  him.  His  courage  soon 
came  back,  but  he  cursed  fiercely  under  his  breath, 
when  he  saw  one  of  his  gunners  go  down,  shot  through 
the  heart,  and  a  moment  later  another  fall  with  a  bul- 
let through  his  head.  Like  the  Indians,  he  saw  a 
numerous  and  powerful  foe  on  the  opposite  bank,  and 
tlie  ford  was  narrow  and  steep, 

277 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"  They're  drawing  back  for  a  conference,"  said 
Henry.  "  I  believe  we've  made  'em  think  we're  not  a 
hundred  only,  but  two  hundred.  Long  Jim,  your  title 
as  king  of  yellers  is  yours  without  dispute  as  long  as 
you  live.     You've  done  magnificent  work." 

"  I  think  I  did  shout  a  little,"  said  Long  Jim  trium- 
phantly, "  but  Henry,  I'm  just  plum'  empty  uv  air. 
Every  bit  uv  it  hez  been  drawed  up  from  my  lungs, 
an'  even  from  the  end  uv  ev'ry  toe  an'  finger." 

"  Well,  sit  down  there,  Jim,  and  refill  yourself,  be- 
cause we  may  have  need  of  your  lungs  again.  There's 
no  better  air  than  that  we  find  in  the  forest  here,  and 
you'll  have  plenty  of  time,  as  they  won't  be  through 
with  that  conference  yet  for  at  least  five  minutes." 

Henry  saw  the  savages  gathered  in  a  great  mass, 
W'Cll  out  of  rifle  shot,  and,  on  a  little  hill  back  of  them, 
the  British  officers,  the  renegades  and  the  chiefs  were 
talking  earnestly.  Beyond  all  possible  doubt  they 
had  agreed  that  they  were  confronted  by  a  formidable 
force.  The  proof  of  it  lay  before  them.  Valiant  war- 
riors had  fallen  and  the  two  slain  gininers  could  not 
be  replaced.  Henry  knew  that  it  was  a  bitter  surprise 
to  them,  and  they  must  think  that  the  settlers,  hearing 
of  the  advance  against  them,  had  sent  forward  all  the 
men  they  could  raise  to  form  the  ambush  at  the  ford. 

He  was  full  of  elation,  and  so  were  his  comrades. 
Five  against  an  army  !  and  the  five  had  stopped  the 
army!  Rifles  against  cannon.  And  the  rifles  had 
stopped  the  cannon  !  The  two  slain  gunners  w^ere 
proof  of  an  idea  already  in  his  mind,  and  now  that 
idea  enlarged  automatically.    They  would  continue  to 

2;8 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

pick  off  the  gunners.  What  were  a  few  warriors  slain 
out  of  a  mass  of  a  thousand  !  But  there  were  only 
seven  or  eigth  gunners,  no,  five  or  six,  because  two 
were  gone  already  !  He  whispered  to  his  comrades 
to  shoot  a  gunner  whenever  there  was  a  chance,  and 
they  nodded  in  approval. 

The  conferences  lasted  some  time,  and  the  gorge  in 
front  of  them  was  filled  with  savages,  a  great  mass  of 
men  with  tufted  scalp  locks,  some  bare  to  the  waist, 
others  wrapped  in  gaudy  blue  or  red  or  yellow 
blankets,  a  restless,  shifting  mass,  upon  which  the  sun 
poured  brilliant  rays,  lighting  up  the  savage  faces  as 
if  they  were  shot  with  fire.  It  was  a  strange  scene, 
buried  in  the  green  wood,  one  of  the  unknown  battles 
that  marked  the  march  of  the  republic  from  sea  to  sea. 
As  the  five  stared  from  their  covert  at  the  savage  army 
the  vivid  colors  were  like  those  of  shifting  glass  in  a 
kaleidoscope.  The  whole  began  to  seem  unreal  and 
fantastic,  the  stuff  of  dreams.  To  Paul,  in  particular, 
whose  head  held  so  much  of  the  past,  it  was  like  some 
old  tale  out  of  the  Odyssey,  with  Ulysses  and  his  com- 
rades confronting  a  new  danger  in  barbaric  lands. 

"  They're  about  to  do  something"  whispered  the 
shiftless  one. 

"  So  I  think,"  said  Henry. 

The  British  officers,  the  renegades  and  the  chiefs 
walked  down  from  the  mound.  Among  the  savages 
arose  a  low  hum  which  quickly  swelled  into  a  chant, 
and  Henry  interpreted  it  as  a  sign  that  they  now  ex- 
pected victory.  How  !  He  wondered,  but  he  did  not 
wonder  long. 

279 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"They're  goin'  to  use  the  cannon,"  said  the  shift- 
less one. 

It  seemed  strange  to  Henry  that  he  had  not  thought 
of  this  before,  but  now  that  the  danger  was  imminent 
his  mind  met  it  with  ready  resource. 

"  We  must  crawl  into  a  hole,  boys,"  he  said,  "  and 
stay  there  while  the  cannon  balls  pass  over  us.'' 

"  Here's  a  gully,"  said  the  shiftless  one,"  "  and  it 
will  hold  us  all." 

"  The  rest  of  you  go  into  it,"  said  Henry.  "  I've 
changed  my  mind  about  myself." 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of  ?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  Do  you  see  that  big  tree  growing  further  down  the 
slope,  a  little  closer  to  the  river.  It's  hidden  to  the 
boughs,  by  the  bushes  growing  thick  all  around  it,  and 
above  them  the  foliage  of  the  tree  isi  so  heavy  that 
nobody  twenty  yards  away  could  see  into  it.  I  mean 
to  climb  up  there  and  make  it  hot  for  those  gunners. 
This  rifle  of  mine  will  reach  pretty  far." 

Henry  had  a  beautiful  long-barreled  weapon,  and 
the  others,  although  knowing  the  danger,  could  say 
nothing  in  opposition. 

"Suppose  we  let  them  fire  two  or  three  shots  first,'* 
said  Henry.  "Then,  as  we  make  no  reply,  they  may 
bring  the  cannon  up  closer." 

Again  four  heads  nodded  in  approval,  and  Henry, 
creeping  forward  through  the  bushes,  climbed  rapidly 
up  the  tree.  Here,  hidden  as  if  by  walls,  he  neverthe- 
less saw  well.  The  gunners,  helped  by  the  Indians, 
were  bringing  forward  both  of  the  cannon.  They  were 
fine  bronze  guns,  glistening  in  the  sun,  and  their  wide 

280 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

mouths  looked  threatening.  Spongers,  rammers  and 
the  real  gunners  all  stood  by. 

Henry  saw  a  twelve  pound  ball  hoisted  into  each 
bronze  throat,  and  then,  as  the  gimners  did  their  work, 
each  mass  of  metal  crashed  through  the  thickets,  the 
savages  yelling  in  delight  at  the  thunderous  reports 
that  came  back,  in  echo  after  echo.  There  was  no  reply 
from  the  thickets,  and  they  began  to  reload  for  the 
second  discharge.  Then  Henry  marked  the  gunner  at 
the  cannon  on  his  right,  and  slowly  the  long  muzzle  of 
the  beautiful  blue  steel  barrel  rose  until  it  bore  directly 
upon  the  man.  Paul,  from  his  position,  could  see 
Henry  in  the  tree,  and  he  was  sorry  for  the  gunner 
who  was  about  to  die  there  in  the  forest,  four  thousand 
miles  from  his  native  land,  a  good-natured  soldier,  per- 
haps, but  sent  '^y  his  superiors  on  an  errand,  the  full 
character  of  which  he  did  not  understand. 

The  sponger  and  rammer  did  their  work.  The  shot 
was  fired  and  the  gunner  leaned  forward,  looking 
eagerly  at  the  dense  woods  and  thickets  to  see  what 
damage  his  shot  had  done.  No  reply  came  save  a  rifle 
shot,  and  the  gunner  fell  dead  upon  his  gun.  Paul  in 
the  thickets  shivered  a  little,  but  he  knew  that  it  must 
be  done. 

The  allied  tribes  again  gave  forth  a  whoop  of  rage 
and  chagrin,  and  Henry  from  his  place  in  the  tree 
clearly  saw  Alloway,  w'aving  his  sword  and  encourag- 
ing them.  *'If  he  w^ould  only  come  a  little  nearer," 
grimly  thought  the  young  forest  runner,  as  he  reloaded 
rapidly,  "  he  might  by  the  loss  of  his  own  life  save  the 
lives  of  many  others."    But  Alloway  kept  back, 

281 


THE    KEKPERS    OF    THE   TRAIL 

They  were  now  making  ready  the  second  cannon, 
but  as  the  rammer  stepped  forward  the  deadly  marks- 
man in  the  tree  reached  him  with  his  bullet,  and,  falling 
beside  his  gun,  he  lay  quite  still.  Once  more  the  thou- 
sand voices  of  the  warriors  joined  in  a  terrible  cry  of 
wrath  and  menace,  but  the  young  forester  reloaded 
calmly,  and  the  sponger,  smitten  down,  fell  beside  his 
comrade. 

Long  Jim  and  the  shiftless  one,  who  lay  side  by 
side,  gazed  at  the  tree  in  silent  admiration.  They 
knew  the  ability  of  their  comrade  as  a  sharpshooter, 
but  never  before  had  he  been  so  deadly  at  such  long 
range. 

''  They'll  hev  to  draw  them  cannon  back,"  whispered 
Shif'less  Sol,  or  he'll  pick  off  every  one  o'  the  white 
men  that  manage  'em." 

'Then  I  hope  they  won't  draw  'em  back,"  said  Long 
Jim. 

But  Alloway  and  the  chiefs  saw  the  necessity  of 
taking  the  gun  beyond  rifle  range,  and  they  withdrew 
them  quickly,  although  not  quickly  enough  to  keep 
another  of  the  white  men  from  receiving  a  painful 
wound.  The  savages  discharged  a  volley  from  their 
rifles  and  muskets,  and  flights  of  arrows  were  sent  into 
the  thickets,  but  arrows  and  bullets  alike  fell  short. 
Many  of  the  arrows  merely  reached  the  river,  and  Paul 
found  a  curious  pleasure  in  watching  these  feathered 
messengers  fly  through  the  air,  and  then  shoot  down- 
ward into  the  water,  leaving  bubbles  to  tell  for  a 
moment  where  they  had  gone. 

'They're  goin'  to  shoot  them  cannon  ag'in,"  said 

282 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

Shi f 'less  Sol,  "  but  they're  puttin'  a  different  kind  o' 
ammunition  in  'em.'* 

*'  It's  grape,"  said  Paul. 

"  What's  grape  ?  "  asked  Long  Jim. 

"All  kinds  of  metal,  slugs  and  suchlike,  that  scat- 
ter." 

"  Like  a  handful  uv  buckshot,  only  bigger  an'  more 
uv  it." 

"  That  describes  it." 

"Then  it  'pears  to  me  that  we'd  better  back  water  a 
lot,  an'  give  all  them  grape  a  chance  to  bust  an'  fly 
whar  we  ain't." 

"  Words  of  wisdom,  Jim,"  said  Henry,  "  and  we'd 
better  get  behind  trees,  too." 

"  An'  good  big  ones,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "  Ef  I've 
got  an  oak  seven  feet  through  in  front  o'  me  they  kin 
go  on  with  thar  fireworks." 

They  retreated  hastily  and  lay  down  behind  the 
great  trunks,  none  too  soon  either,  as  the  cannon 
roared  and  the  grapeshot  whistled  all  about  them, 
cutting  off  twigs  and  leaves  and  ploughing  the 
earth. 

"That  shorely  is  dang'rous  business — fur  us,"  said 
Shif'less  Sol.  "  I'm  glad  they  didn't  start  with  it.  It's 
like  a  swarm  o'  iron  bees  flyin'  at  you,  an'  ef  you  ain't 
holed  up  some  o'  'em  is  bound  to  hit  you." 

"  Back  there  !  "  exclaimed  Henry  to  the  shiftless 
one,  who  was  peeping  behind  his  oak,"  they're  about 
to  fire  the  second  gun  !  " 

The  discharge  of  grapeshot  again  fell  in  the  thicket, 
but  it  hurt  no  one,  and  the  five  did  not  reply.     Two 

283 


THE  KEEPERS  OF  THE  TRAIl. 

more  shots  were  fired,  doing  great  damage  to  the 
forest  at  that  spot,  but  none  of  the  five.  Then  came 
a  pause. 

"  The  white  men  and  the  chiefs  have  gone  into  con- 
sultation again,"  announced  Henry. 

*'  Why  haven't  they  sent  out  flankers  to  cross  the 
river  ?  "  said  Paul.  "  I  haven't  seen  a  single  warrior 
leave  the  main  band." 

"  They've  been  confident  that  the  cannon  would  do 
the  wo-rk,"  replied  Henry,  ''  and  besides,  the  warriors 
don't  like  those  high  banks.  Now  you  mustn't  forget, 
either,  that  they  think  we're  a  big  force  here." 

"  But  they'll  come  to  that,"  said  the  shiftless  one. 
"  They  don't  dare  charge  down  that  narrow  gorge,  on 
through  the  river,  an'  up  the  hill  ag'inst  us.  Sooner 
or  later,  warriors  will  cross  the  stream  out  o'  our  sight, 
both  above  an'  below  us,  an'  that's  just  what  we've  got 
to  look  out  fur." 

*'Right  you  are,  Sol,"  said  Henry,  "but  I  don't 
think  they  will  do  it  for  a  while.  They'd  like  to  force 
the  passage  without  waste  of  time  and  go  right  ahead 
with  their  march." 

Several  more  charges  of  grape  were  fired  into  the 
thickets,  and  leaves  and  twigs  again  rained  down,  but 
the  five,  sheltered  well,  remained  untouched  by  the 
fragments  of  hissing  metal.  Then  the  guns  relapsed 
into  silence. 

"  Likely  the  redcoat  colonel  has  ordered  'em  to  stop 
shooting,"  said  Paul.  *'  He  won't  want  'em  to  waste 
their  ammunition  here,  but  to  save  it  for  the  palisades 
of  our  settlements." 

284 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

"  Sounds  most  probable,"  said  Henry.  "  They  can't 
get  any  new  supply  of  gunpowder  and  cannon  balls 
and  grapeshot,  in  these  woods." 

"  What'll  they  do  now  ?  "     asked  Tom  Ross. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Henry. 

"  I  wish  I  had  one  uv  them  spyglasses  I  saw  back 
east,  when  I  wuz  a  boy,"  said  Long  Jim. 

''  What's  a  spyglass  ?  "  asked  Shif  less  Sol. 

"It's  two  magnifyin'  glasses  in  short  tubes  fastened 
side  by  side,  what  you  put  to  your  eye  an'  then  you 
bring  things  near  to  you  an'  see  'em  big." 

"  Then  I  wish  I  had  one  too,  Jim.  I'd  like  to  see 
the  face  o'  that  British  colonel.  I  know  that  the  blood 
hez  all  run  to  his  head  an'  that  he's  hoppin'  mad.  Them 
reg'lar  army  orficers  ain't  never  much  good  in  the 
woods.  I've  heard  how  Braddock  had  all  his  forces 
cut  plum'  to  pieces  by  a  heap  smaller  number  o'  war- 
riors, 'cause  he  wouldn't  use  our  forest  ways.  An' 
I'd  like  through  them  glasses  to  see  the  face  o'  Braxton 
Wyatt  too,  'cause  I  know  he's  turned  blue  with  rage, 
an'  I'd  like  to  hear  him  grindin'  his  teeth,  'cause  I 
know  he's  grindin'  'em  hard,  and  Blackstaffe  must  be 
grindin'  in  time  with  him  too.  An'  I'd  like  to  see  them 
two  chiefs.  Yellow  Panther  an'  Red  Eagle  so  mad  that 
they're  pullin'  away  at  their  scalp  locks,  fit  to  pull  them 
clean  out  o'  their  heads." 

"  Since  we  ain't  got  any  spyglass,"  said  Long  Jim, 
with  a  sigh,  "we've  got  to  imagine  a  lot  uv  it,  but  I've 
got  a  fine  an'  pow'ful  imagination,  an'  so  hev  you,  Sol 
Hyde." 

"  Yes,  I'm  seein'  the  things  I  want  to  see.     It's 

285 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

cur'us  how  you  kin  do  that  sometimes,  ef  you  want  to 
hard  enough/* 

"  I  think,"  said  Henry,  "  that  they're  going  to  try 
the  flankers  now.  I  can  see  the  leaders  talking  to  war- 
riors whom  they've  called  to  'em." 

"  And  does  that  mean  that  it's  time  fur  us  to  light 
out  ?  "  asked  Shif  less  Sol. 

"  Not  yet.  The  banks  on  both  sides  are  high  and 
steep  for  a  long  distance,  and  we  can  see  anyone  who 
tries  to  pass.  We  must  spread  out.  Long  Jim,  our 
great  yeller,  the  prize  yeller  of  the  world,  we  must 
leave  here,  and,  if  any  of  us  bring  down  any  warrior 
who  tries  to  cross,  he  must  yell  even  better  than  he  did 
before.  Stretch  those  leather  lungs  of  yours.  Long 
Jim,  as  if  you  were  a  pair  of  bellows." 

"  You  kin  depend  on  me,"  replied  Long  Jim  com- 
placently. "  I'm  one  that's  always  tryin'  to  do  better 
than  he  did  before.  Ef  I've  yelled  so  I  could  be  heard 
a  mile  then  I  want  to  yell  the  next  time  so  I  kin  be 
heard  a  mile  an'  a  half." 

Henry  and  Paul  went  upstream  and  Shif'less  Sol 
and  Silent  Tom  down  stream,  taking  good  care  to  keep 
hidden  from  the  very  best  eyes  in  the  savage  army.  It 
was  not  merely  the  youthful  general's  object  to  make 
a  delay  at  the  ford — that  in  itself  was  of  secondary 
importance — but  he  must  turn  into  a  cloud  the  veil  of 
fear  and  superstition  that  he  knew  already  enveloped 
the  savage  army.  They  must  be  smitten  by  unknown 
and  mysterious  terrors.  The  five  must  make  the  medi- 
cine men  who  were  surely  with  them  believe  that  all 
the    omens    were    bad.     Henry,    although    the    word 

286 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

*'  psychology  "  was  strange  to  him,  knew  the  power  of 
fear,  and  he  meant  to  concentrate  all  the  skill  of  the 
five  upon  its  increase.  He  felt  that  already  many 
doubters  must  be  in  the  ranks  of  the  red  and  super- 
stitious army. 

'*  Paul,"  he  said,  when  they  had  gone  three  or  four 
hundred  yards,  "  you  stay  here,  and  if  you  see  any 
warriors  trying  to  cross  the  stream  take  your  best  aim. 
I'm  going  a  little  farther,  and  I'll  do  the  same.  With 
our  great  advantages  in  position  we  should  be  able  to 
drive  back  an  attack,  unless  they  go  a  very  long  dis- 
tance to  make  the  crossing." 

**  I'll  do  my  best,"  said  Paul,  and  Plenry  went  about 
three  hundred  yards  farther,  lying  close  in  a  clump  of 
laurel,  w'here  he  could  command  a  perfect  view  of  the 
opposite  shore,  noticeable  there  because  of  a  consider- 
able dip.  It  was  just  such  a  place  as  the  flanking 
warriors  would  naturally  seek,  because  the  crossing 
would  be  easier,  and  he  intended  to  repel  them  him- 
self. 

He  lay  quite  still  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Nothing 
stirred  in  the  forest  on  the  other  shore,  but  he  had 
expected  to  wait.  The  Indians,  believing  that  a  formid- 
able force  opposed  them,  would  be  slow  and  cautious  in 
their  advance.  So  he  contained  himself  in  patience, 
as  he  lay  with  the  slender  muzzle  of  his  rifle  thrust 
forward. 

Finally,  he  saw  the  bushes  on  the  opposite  shore 
move,  and  a  face,  painted  and  ghastly,  was  thrust 
out.  Others  followed,  a  half-dozen  altogether,  and 
Henry  saw  them  surveying  the  river  and  examining 

287 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

his  own  shore.  The  muzzle  of  his  rifle  moved  for- 
ward a  few  inches  more,  but  he  knew  that  it  would 
be  an  easy  shot. 

The  leader  of  the  warriors  presently  began  to  climb 
down  the  bank.  He  was  a  stalwart  fellow  and  Henry 
knew  by  his  paint  that  he  was  a  Miami.  Again  the 
great  youth  was  loath  to  fire  from  ambush,  but  a  des- 
perate need  drives  scruples  away,  and  the  rifle  muzzle, 
thrusting  forward  yet  an  inch  or  two  more,  bore 
directly  upon  the  Indian's  heart. 

The  man  was  halfway  down  the  bank,  about  thirty 
feet  high  at  that  point,  when  Henry  pulled  the  trigger. 
Then  the  Indian  uttered  his  death  yell,  plunged  for- 
ward and  fell  head  foremost  into  the  stream.  His  body 
shot  from  sight  in  the  water,  came  up,  floated  a  mo- 
ment or  two  with  the  current  and  then  sank  back  again. 
The  other  warriors,  appalled,  climbed  back  hastily, 
while  from  the  bushes  that  fronted  the  ford  below 
came  a  series  of  triumphant  and  tremendous  shouts,  as 
Long  Jim,  hearing  the  shot,  poured  forth  all  the  glory 
of  his  voice. 

Truly  he  surpassed  himself.  His  earlier  perform- 
ance was  dimmed  by  his  later.  The  thickets,  where 
he  ranged  back  and  forth,  shouting  his  triumphant 
calls,  seemed  to  be  full  of  armed  men.  His  voice  sank 
a  moment  and  then  came  the  report  of  a  shot  down  the 
stream,  followed  by  the  death  cry.  Long  Jim  knev/ 
that  it  was  Shif'less  Sol  or  Silent  Tom  who  had  pulled 
the  fatal  trigger  and  he  began  to  sing  of  that  triumph 
also.  Clear  and  full  his  voice  came  once  more,  moving 
rapidly  from  point  to  point,  and  Henry  in  his  covert 

288 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

laughed  to  himself,  and  with  satisfaction,  at  the  long 
man's  energy  and  success. 

The  great  youth  did  not  fail  to  watch  the  opposite 
shore,  quite  sure  that  the  party  would  not  retire  with 
the  loss  of  a  single  warrior,  but  would  make  an  attempt 
elsewhere.  His  eyes  continually  searched  the  thickets, 
but  they  were  so  dense  that  they  disclosed  nothing. 
Then  he  moved  slowdy  up  the  stream,  believing  that 
they  would  go  farther  for  the  second  trial,  and  he  was 
rewarded  by  the  glimpse  of  a  feather  among  the  trees. 
That  feather,  he  knew  was  interwoven  with  a  scalp 
lock,  and,  as  the  slope  of  the  bank  there  was  gradual, 
he  was  sure  that  they  were  coming. 

It  seemed  to  Henry  that  verily  the  fates  fought  for 
him.  He  knew  that  they  were  going  to  try  the  cross- 
ing there,  and  they  would  be  easy  prey  to  the  concealed 
marksman.  Even  as  he  knelt  he  heard  Long  Jim's 
voice  raised  again  in  his  mighty  song  of  triumph,  and 
although  he  could  not  hear  the  shot  now,  he  was  certain 
that  the  rifle  of  Silent  Tom  or  Shi f 'less  Sol  had  found 
another  victim.  So  they,  too,  were  guarding  the  ford 
well,  and  he  smiled  to  himself  at  the  courage  and  skill 
of  the  invincible  pair. 

He  saw  another  scalp  lock  appear,  then  another  and 
another,  until  they  w'ere  eight  in  all.  The  warriors 
remained  for  several  minutes  partly  hidden,  scanning 
the  opposite  shore,  and  then  one  only  emerged  into  full 
view,  as  if  he  were  feeling  the  way  for  the  others. 
Henry  changed  his  tactics,  and,  instead  of  waiting  for 
the  man  to  begin  the  descent  of  the  cliff,  fired  at  once. 
The  w'arrior  fell  back  in  the  bushes,  where  his  body  lay 

289 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

hidden,  but  the  others  set  up  the  death  cry,  and  Henry- 
was  so  sure  that  they  would  not  try  the  crossing  again 
soon — at  least  not  yet — that  he  went  back  to  Paul's 
covert,  and  the  two  returned  to  Long  Jim.  Shi f  less  Sol 
and  Silent  Tom  were  called  in  and  the  leader  said  : 

'1  think  we've  done  all  we  can  here.  We've  created 
the  impression  of  a  great  force  to  hold  the  ford.  We've 
also  made  them  think  it  can  stretch  far  enough  to  watch 
its  wings.  Four  warriors  just  fallen  prove  that. 
They'll  probably  send  scouts  miles  up  and  down  the 
stream  to  cross,  and  then  hunt  us  out,  but  that'll  take 
time,  until  night  at  least,  and  maybe  they  won't  know 
positively  until  morning,  because  scouting  in  the 
thickets  in  the  face  of  an  enemy  is  a  dangerous  busi- 
ness. So,  I  propose  that  we  use  the  advantage  we've 
gained." 

"In  what  way?"  asked  Paul. 

*'We'll  go  now.  We  don't  want  'em  to  find  out  how 
few  we  are,  and  we  don't  want  'em  to  learn,  either, 
that  we're  we." 

"That  is,  they  must  continue  to  think  that  we're 
behind  'em  or,  on  their  flanks,  and  that  this  is  another 
and  larger  force  in  their  front." 

"That's  the  idea.     What  say  you?" 

"I'm  for  it,"  said  Paul. 

"Votin'  ez  a  high  private  I  say  too,  let's  leg  it  from 
here,"  said  Long  Jim. 

"The  jedgment  o'  our  leader  is  so  sound  that  thar 
ain't  nothin'  more  to  say,"  quoth  the  shiftless  one. 

"Let's  go,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

Then  the  little  band,  five  against  a  thousand,  rifles 

290 


HOLDING    THE    FORD 

against  cannon,  that  had  victoriously  held  the  ford, 
stole  away  with  soundless  tread  through  the  green- 
wood. But  they  did  not  travel  southward  long.  When 
darkness  came  they  turned  toward  the  east,  and 
traveling  many  miles,  made  camp  as  they  had  done 
once  before  on  a  little  island  in  a  swamp,  which  they 
reached  by  walking  on  the  dead  and  fallen  trees  of 
many  years.  There  when  they  sat  down  under  the 
trees  they  could  not  refrain  from  a  few  words  of  tri- 
umph and  mutual  congratulation,  because  another  and 
most  important  link  in  the  chain  had  been  forged  with 
brilliant  success. 

''Although  it's  dark  and  it's  seven  or  eight  miles 
away,"  said  Shi f 'less  Sol,  'T  kin  see  that  Indian  army 
now,  a-settin'  before  the  ford,  an'  wonderin'  how  it's 
goin'  to  git  across." 

"An'  I  kin  hear  that  savage  army  now,  movin'  up 
an'  down,  restless  like,"  said  Long  Jim.  "I  kin  hear 
them  redcoat  officers,  an'  them  renegades,  an'  them 
Injun  chiefs,  grindin'  thar  upper  teeth  an'  thar  lower 
teeth  together  so  hard  with  anger  that  they  won't  be 
able  to  eat  in  the  mornin'." 

"And  I  can  see  their  wrath  and  chagrin  tomorrow, 
when  their  scouts  tell  them  no  enemy  is  there,"  said 
Paul.  'T  can  tell  now  how  the  white  leaders  and  the 
red  leaders  will  rage,  and  how  they  w^ill  wonder  who 
the  men  were  that  held  them." 

"And  I  can  read  their  minds  ahead,"  said  Henry. 
"The  five  of  us  will  become  not  a  hundred,  but  two 
hundred,  and  every  pair  of  our  hands  will  carry  forty 
rifles." 

291 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"We've  fooled  'em  well,"  said  Silent  Tom,  tersely. 

"And  now  to  sleep,"  said  Henry,  "because  we  must 
begin  again  in  the  morning. 

Soon  the  five  slept  the  deep  sleep  that  comes  after 
success. 


CHAPTER  XV 


THE  GREAT   CULMINATION 


IT  could  almost  be  said  of  them,  so  sensitive  were 
they  to  sound  or  even  to  a  noiseless  presence,  that 
usually  when  sleeping  they  were  yet  awake,  that, 
like  the  wild  animals  living  in  the  same  forest,  warn- 
ings came  to  them  on  the  wind  itself,  and  that,  though 
the  senses  were  steeped  in  slumber,  the  sentinel  mind 
was  yet  there.  But  this  morning  it  was  not  so.  They 
slept,  not  like  forest  runners,  who  breathe  danger  every 
hour,  both  day  and  night,  but  like  city  dwellers,  secure 
against  any  foe. 

It  was  Silent  Tom  who  awoke  first,  to  find  the  day 
advanced,  the  sun  like  a  gigantic  shield  of  red  and 
gold  in  the  western  heavens,  and  the  wind  of  spring 
blowing  through  the  green  foliage.  He  shook  himself, 
somewhat  like  a  big,  honest  dog,  and  not  awakening 
the  others,  walked  to  the  edge  of  their  island  in  the 
swamp,  the  firm  land  not  being  more  than  thirty  feet 
across. 

But  on  this  oasis  the  trees  grew  large  and  close  and 
no  one  on  the  mainland  beyond  the  swamp  could  have 
seen  human  beings  there.  The  swamp  was  chiefly  the 
result  of  a  low  region  flooded  by  heavy  spring  rains, 

293 


THE    KEEPERS    OF   THE    TRAIL 

and  in  the  summer  would  probably  be  as  dry  and  firm 
as  the  oasis  itself.  But,  for  the  present,  it  was  what 
the  pioneers  called  "drowned  lands"  and  was  an 
effective  barrier  against  any  ordinary  march. 

Silent  Tom  looked  toward  the  north,  and  saw  a  coil 
of  smoke  against  the  brilliant  blue  of  the  sky.  It  was 
very  far  away,  but  he  was  quite  sure  that  it  came  from 
the  Indian  camp,  and  its  location  indicated  that  they 
had  not  yet  crossed  the  river.  He  felt  intense  satis- 
faction, but  he  did  not  even  chuckle  in  his  throat,  after 
the  border  fashion.  He  had  not  been  named  Silent 
Tom  for  nothing.  He  was  the  oldest  of  the  five, 
several  years  older  than  Long  Jim,  who  was  next  in 
point  of  age,  and  he  was  often  called  Old  Tom  Ross, 
although  in  reality  the  "old"  in  that  case  was  like  the 
"old"  that  one  college  boy  uses  when  he  calls  another 
"old  fellow." 

But  if  Silent  Tom  did  not  talk  much  he  thought  and 
felt  a  very  great  deal.  The  love  of  the  wilderness 
was  keen  in  him.  Elsewhere  he  would  have  been  like 
a  lion  in  an  iron-barred  cage.  And,  like  the  rest  of  the 
five,  he  would  have  sacrificed  his  life  to  protect  those 
little  settlements  of  his  ow^n  kind  to  the  south.  It  has 
been  said  that  usually  when  the  five  slept  they  were  yet 
almost  awake,  but  this  morning  when  Silent  Tom  was 
awake  he  was  also  dreaming.  He  was  dreaming  of 
the  great  triumph  that  they  had  won  on  the  preceding 
day :  Five  against  a  thousand !  Rifles  against  cannon ! 
A  triumph  not  alone  of  valor  but  of  intellect,  of  wiles 
and  stratagems,  of  tactics  and  management! 

He  did  not  possess,  in  the  same  great  degree,  the  gift 

294 


THE    GREAT    CUOIINATION 

of  imagination  which  illuminated  so  nobly  the  minds 
and  souls  of  Henry  and  Paul  and  the  shiftless  one,  but 
he  felt  deeply,  nevertheless.  ]\Iatter-of-fact  and  prac- 
tical, he  recognized,  that  they  had  won  an  extraordi- 
nary victory,  to  attempt  which  would  not  even  have 
entered  his  own  mind,  and  knowing  it,  he  not  only 
gave  all  credit  to  those  who  had  conceived  it,  but  ad- 
mired them  yet  the  more.  He  was  beginning  to  realize 
now^  that  the  impossible  was  nearly  always  the  possible. 

Life  looked  very  good  to  Tom  Ross  that  day.  It 
was  bright,  keen  and  full  of  zest.  A  deeply  religious 
man,  in  his  w-ay,  he  felt  that  the  forest,  the  river,  and 
all  the  unseen  spirits  of  earth  and  air  had  w^orked  for 
them.  The  birds  singing  so  joyously  among  the  boughs 
sang  not  alone  for  themselves,  but  also  for  his  four 
comrades  who  slept  and  for  him  also. 

He  listened  awhile,  crossed  the  swamp  on  the  fallen 
trees,  scouted  a  little  and  then  came  back,  quite  sure 
that  no  w^arrior  was  within  miles  of  them,  as  they  w^ere 
marching  in  another  direction,  and  then  returned  to 
the  oasis.  The  four  still  slept  the  sleep  of  the  just  and 
victorious.  Then  Tom,  the  cunning,  smiled  to  himself, 
and  came  very  near  to  uttering  a  deep-throated  chuckle. 

Opening  his  little  knapsack,  he  took  out  a  cord  of 
fishing  line,  with  a  hook,  which,  with  wisdom,  he  al- 
ways carried.  He  tied  the  line  on  the  end  of  a  stick, 
and,  then  going  eastward  from  the  oasis,  he  walked 
across  the  fallen  or  drifted  trees  until  he  came  to  the 
permanent  channel  of  a  creek,  into  wdiich  the  flood 
waters  drained.  There  he  dropped  his  hook,  having 
previously  procured  bait,  worms  found  under  a  stone. 

^5 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

Doubtless  no  hook  had  ever  been  sunk  In  those 
waters  before,  and  the  fish  leaped  to  the  bait.  In  fifteen 
minutes  he  had  half  a  dozen  fine  fellows,  which  he 
deftly  cleaned  with  his  hunting  knife.  Then  he 
returned,  soft-footed,  to  the  island.  The  four,  as  he 
wished,  still  slept.  After  all,  he  did  have  imagination 
and,  a  feeling  for  surprise,  and  the  dramatic.  Had  his 
comrades  awakened  then,  before  his  preparations  were 
complete,  it  would  have  spoiled  his  pleasure. 

It  was  a  short  task  for  one  such  as  he  to  use  flint 
and  steel,  and  kindle  a  fire  on  the  low  side  of  the 
island,  facing  toward  the  east,  but  yet  within  the 
circle  of  the  trees.  Dead  wood  was  lying  everywhere 
and  it  burned  rapidly.  Then,  quickly  broiling  the  fish 
on  sharpened  ends  of  twigs  and  laying  them  on  green 
leaves,  he  went  back  and  awakened  the  four,  who 
opened  their  eyes  and  sat  up  at  the  same  time. 

"What's  the  smell  that's  ticklin'  my  nose?"  ex- 
claimed Long  Jim. 

"Fish,"  replied  Silent  Tom  gruffiy.  "Breakfast's 
ready !    Come  on !" 

The  four  leaped  to  their  feet,  and  follow^ed  the 
pleasant  odor  which  grew  stronger  and  more  savory  as 
they  advanced. 

"Ain't  cooked  like  you  kin  do  it,"  said  Silent  Tom 
to  Long  Jim,  "but  I  done  my  best." 

"Kings  could  do  no  more,"  said  the  shiftless  one, 
"an'  this  is  the  finest  surprise  I've  had  in  a  'coon's  age. 
I  wuz  gettin'  mighty  tired  o'  cold  vittles.  A  lazy  man 
like  me  needs  somethin'  hot  now  an'  then  to  stir  him 
up,  don't  he  Jim?" 

2q6 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

"Guess  he  does,  an'  so  do  I,"  said  Long  Jim,  reaching 
hungrily  for  a  fish. 

All  fell  to.  The  fish  were  of  the  finest  flavor,  and 
they  had  been  cooked  well.  Silent  Tom  said  nothing, 
but  he  glowed  with  satisfaction. 

"How'd  you  do  it,  Tom?"  asked  Shif'less  Sol. 

*'Line,  hook,  bait,  water,  fish,"  replied  Ross,  waving 
his  hand  in  the  direction  of  the  creek. 

"Ain't  he  the  pow'ful  talker?"  laughed  the  shiftless 
one.  "When  Tom  dies  an'  goes  up  to  heaven  to  take 
his  place  in  them  gran'  an'  eternal  huntin'  groun's  that 
we've  already  talked  about,  the  Angel  at  the  gate  will 
ask  him  his  name.  'Tom  Ross,'  he'll  say.  Business  on 
earth?'  'Hunter  an'  scout.'  'Ever  betrayed  a  friend?' 
'Never.'  'Then  pass  right  in.'  That's  all  old  Tom  will 
say,  not  a  word  wasted  in  explanations  an'  pologies." 

"It'll  be  shorter  than  that,"  said  Long  Jim. 

"How's  that?" 

"The  Angel  will  ask  him  Jest  one  question.  He'll 
say,  'Who's  your  best  friend  on  earth?'  an'  Tom  will 
answer  'Long  Jim  Hart,  what's  comin'  on  later,'  an' 
the  Angel  will  say :  'That's  enough.  Go  right  in  and 
pick  out  the  best  place  in  Heaven  fur  yourself  an'  your 
friends  who  will  be  here,  some  day.'  " 

Silent  Tom  blushed  under  the  praise  which  was 
thoroughly  sincere,  and  begged  them,  severally,  to  take 
another  fish.  But  they  had  enough,  and  prepared  to 
travel  again,  to  forge  another  link  in  the  chain  which 
they  were  striving  so  hard  to  complete. 

"What's  the  plan,  Henry?"  asked  the  shiftless  one 
in  his  capacity  as  lieutenant 

297 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"I  think  we  ought  to  complete  that  circle  around  the 
Indian  army,  curving  to  the  west  and  then  to  the  north, 
until  we're  in  their  rear.  Then  we  can  complete  the 
impression  that  two  forces  are  attacking  'em,  one  in 
front  and  the  other  behind.    What  do  you  think?" 

"I'm  hot  fur  roundin'  out  the  circle,"  replied 
Shifless  Sol.  *'I  always  like  to  see  things  finished, 
an'  I  want  to  make  the  warriors  think  a  couple  o' 
hundred  white  riflemen  march  where  only  five  really 
make  tracks." 

''Same  here,"  said  Jim  Hart,  "Suits  me  'cause  I've 
got  long  legs,  made  out  uv  steel  wire,  close  wrapped. 
I  see  clear  that  we've  got  to  do  a  power  o'  marchin', 
more  of  it  than  fightin'." 

"I  don't  believe  any  one  can  think  of  a  better  plan,'* 
said  Paul,  "and  yours,  Henry,  certainly  promises  well." 

"I'm  for  it,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

"Then  we  go  now,"  said  Henry. 

The  smoke  that  Tom  had  seen  earlier  was  gone,  and 
the  five,  believed  that  the  Indian  army,  discovering 
the  absence  of  their  foe,  had  probably  crossed  the  river. 

"Since  they're  on  the  march  again,"  said  Henry, 
"we  can  take  it  slowly  and  need  not  exhaust  ourselves." 

"Jest  dawdle  along,"  said  Shifless  Sol,  "an'  let  'em 
pass  us. 

"Yes,  that's  it." 

"We'll  keep  far  enough  away  to  avoid  their  scouts 
and  hunters,"  said  Paul. 

It  was  really  the  hunters  against  whom  they  had  to 
keep  the  most  watchful  guard,  as  so  numerous  a  force 
ate  tremendous  quantities  of  game,  and,  the  men  seek' 

298 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

ing  it  had  to  spread  out  to  a  considerable  distance  on 
either  flank.  But  if  the  liunters  came,  the  five  were 
sure  that  they  would  see  them  first,  and  they  felt  little 
apprehension. 

They  passed  out  of  the  swampy  country,  and  entered 
the  usual  rolling  region  of  low  hills,  clothed  in  heavy 
forest,  and  abounding  in  game.  Here  they  stopped 
a  while  in  their  task  of  completing  the  circle,  and 
w^aited  while  the  Indian  army  marched.  Henry  cal- 
culated that  it  could  not  go  more  than  a  dozen  miles 
a  day,  since  the  way  had  to  be  cut  for  the  cannon,  and 
even  if  they  remained  where  they  were,  the  Indian 
army  when  night  came,  would  be  very  little  farther 
south  than  the  five. 

"I  vote  we  turn  our  short  stop  into  a  long  one," 
said  Shif'less  Sol,  "since,  ef  we  went  on  w^e'd  jest  have 
to  come  back  again.  An'  me  bein'  a  lazy  man  I'm 
ag'in  any  useless  work.     What  do  you  say,  Saplin'?" 

^'I'm  with  you,  Sol,  not  'cause  I'm  lazy,  which  I 
ain't,  an'  never  will  be,  but  cause  it  ain't  wuth  while 
to  go  back  on  our  tracks  an'  then  come  forward  ag'in. 
What  I  do  say  is  this ;  since  Tom  Ross  is  such  a  good 
fisher  I  reckon  he  might  take  his  hook  an'  line  an'  go 
east  to  the  creek,  which  can't  be  fur  from  here,  an' 
ketch  some  more  fish  jest  ez  good  ez  them  we  had  this 
mornin'.  After  dark  I'll  cook  'em,  takin'  the  trouble 
off  his  hands." 

All  fell  in  with  the  suggestion,  including  Tom  him- 
self, and  after  a  while  he  went  away  on  the  errand, 
returning  in  due  time  with  plenty  of  fish  as  good  as 
the  others.     This  time  Long  Jim  cooked  them  when 

299 


THE    KEEPERS    OF   THE    TRAIL 

night  came,  in  a  low  place  behind  the  trees,  and  once 
more  they  had  warm  and  delicate  food. 

When  the  moon  rose  in  a  clear  sky,  they  were  able  to 
trace  the  smoke  of  the  Indian  campfire,  almost  due  west 
of  them,  as  they  calculated  it  would  be,  and  a  long  dis- 
tance away.    Henry  regarded  it  thoughtfully  and  Paul 
knew  that  his  mind  was  concentrated  upon  some  plan. 
"What  is  it?"  he  asked  at  last. 
"I  think  some  of  us  ought  to  go  late  tonight  and 
see  what  chance  we  have  at  the  guns." 
"You'll  take  me  with  you,  Henry?" 
"No,  Paul.     It'll  have  to  be  Shif'less  Sol,  while  the 
rest  of  you  stand  by  as  a  reserve.    Wliat  call  shall  we 
use,  the  owl  or  the  wolf?'' 

"Let  it  be  the  wolf,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "  'cause 
I  feel  like  a  wolf  tonight,  ready  to  snap  at  an'  bite  them 
that's  tryin'  to  hurt  our  people." 

"Sol  gits  mighty  ferocious  when  thar  ain't  any  thin' 
more  terrible  than  a  rabbit  close  by,"  said  Long  Jim. 
"It  ain't  that.     It's  my  knowin'  that  you'll  run  to 
my  help  ef  I  git  into  trouble,"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 

Paul  felt  a  little  disappointment,  but  it  disappeared 
quickly.  He  knew  that  Shif'less  Sol  was  the  one  who 
ought  to  go,  and  in  the  high  tasks  they  had  set  for 
themselves  there  were  enough  dangers  for  all. 

"Then  it  will  be  the  cry  of  the  wolf,"  said  Henry. 
"To  most  people  their  yelps  are  aHke,  but  not  to  us. 
You  won't  forget  the  particular  kind  of  howl  that  Sol 
and  I  give  forth?" 

"Never,"  said  Long  Jim.  "Thar  ain't  another  sech 
wolf  in  the  woods  ez  Shif'less  Sol." 

300 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

A  few  more  brief  words  and  Henry  and  his  comrade 
were  gone,  traveling  at  a  swift  rate  toward  the  Indian 
camp.  Dark  and  the  forest  separated  the  two  from 
the  three,  but  they  could  send  their  signal  cries  at  any 
time  across  the  intervening  space,  and  communication 
was  not  interrupted.  They  advanced  in  silence  several 
miles,  and  then  they  became  very  cautious,  because 
they  knew  that  they  were  within  the  fringe  of  scouts 
and  hunters.  With  so  many  to  feed  it  was  likely  that 
the  Indians  would  hunt  by  night,  especially  as  the  wild 
turkeys  were  numerous,  and  it  was  easy  to  obtain  them 
in  the  dark. 

Both  Henry  and  Shi f 'less  Sol  saw  turkey  signs,  and 
their  caution  increased,  when  they  noticed  a  dozen 
dusky  figures  of  large  birds  on  boughs  near  by,  sure 
proof  that  the  warriors  would  soon  be  somewhere  in 
the  neighborhood,  if  they  were  not  so  already.  They 
began  to  stoop  now,  and  use  cover  all  the  way,  and 
presently  Henry  felt  that  their  precautions  were  well 
taken,  as  a  faint  but  distant  sound,  not  native  to  the 
forest,  came  to  his  ear. 

*'There,  Sol!"  he  whispered.  "Did  you  hear  it?  To 
the  right." 

The  shiftless  one  listened  a  moment  or  two  and 
replied : 

"Yes,  I  kin  make  it  out." 

*T  say  it's  the  twang  of  a  bowstring,  Sol." 

"So  do  I,  Henry." 

"They're  probably  shooting  the  turkeys  out  of  the 
trees  with  arrows.  Saves  noise  and  their  powder  and 
lead,  too." 

301 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"Wherein  the  Injun  shows  a  heap  o'  sense,  Henry/* 

"I  can  hear  more  than  one  bow  twanging  now,  Sol. 
The  turkeys  must  be  plentiful  hereabouts,  but  even 
with  bows  and  arrows  only  used  against  'em  they're 
bound  to  take  alarm  soon." 

"Yes,  thar  go  some  o'  'em  gobblin'  now,  an'  they're 
flyin'  this  way." 

They  heard  the  whirr  of  wings  can*ying  heavy 
bodies,  and  frightened  turkeys  flew  directly  over  their 
heads.  As  the  Indians  might  come  in  pursuit,  Henry 
and  Shif'less  Sol  lay  down  among  the  bushes.  A 
shouting  broke  out  near  them,  and  the  forest,  for  a 
wide  space,  was  filled  with  the  whirring  of  wings. 

"The  biggest  flock  o'  wild  turkeys  that  ever  wuz 
must  hev  roosted  right  'roun'  us,"  said  Shif'less  Sol, 
"  'cause  I  seem  to  see  'em  by  the  dozens." 

"More  likely  fifteen  or  twenty  flocks  were  scattered 
about  through  the  woods,  and  now  they  have  all  joined 
in  a  common  flight." 

"Mebbe  so,  but  whether  one  flock  or  twenty  j'ined, 
this  is  suttinly  Turkeyland.  An'  did  you  ever  see  sech 
fine  turkeys.  Look  at  that  king  gobbler,  Henry,  flyin' 
right  over  our  heads!  He  must  weigh  fifty  pounds 
ef  he  weighs  an  ounce,  an'  his  wattles  are  a  wonder  to 
look  at.  An'  I  kin  see  him  lookin'  right  down  at 
me,  ez  he  passes  an'  I  kin  hear  him  sayin' :  T  ain't 
afeared  o'  you,  Sol  Hyde,  even  ef  you  hev  got  a  gun 
in  your  hand.  I  kin  fly  low  over  your  head,  so  low 
that  I'll  brush  you  with  my  wings,  and  with  my 
red  wattles,  which  are  a  wonder  to  see,  an'  you 
dassu't  fire.     I've  got  you  where  I  want  you,   Sol 

302 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

Hyde.    I  ain't  afeard  o'  anything  but  Injuns  tonight.'  " 

Shi f 'less  Sol's  words  were  so  lugubrious  that  Henry 
was  compelled  to  laugh  under  his  breath.  It  did  look 
like  an  injustice  of  fate,  when  hunters  so  keen,  as  they, 
were  compelled  to  lie  quiet,  while  wild  turkeys  in 
hundreds  flew  over  their  heads,  and  although  the  shift- 
less one  may  have  exaggerated  a  little  about  the  king 
gobbler,  Henry  saw  that  many  of  them  were  magnifi- 
cent specimens  of  their  kind.  Yet  to  lie  and  stir  not 
was  the  price  of  life,  as  they  soon  saw. 

Indians  came  running  through  the  great  grove,  dis- 
charging arrows  at  the  turkeys,  many  of  which  flew 
low,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  the  twanging  of  bow 
strings.  Not  a  rifle  or  musket  was  fired,  the  warriors 
seeming  to  rely  wholly  upon  their  ancient  weapons  for 
this  night  hunt.  They  appeared  to  be  in  high  good 
humor,  too,  as  the  two  crouching  scouts  heard  them 
laughing  and  chattering  as  they  picked  up  the  fallen 
birds,  and  then  sent  arrows  in  search  of  more. 

Shif'less  Sol  became  more  and  more  uneasy.  Here 
was  a  grand  hunt  going  well  forward  and  he  not  a 
part  of  it.  Instead  he  had  to  crouch  among  bushes  and 
flatten  himself  against  the  soil  like  an  earthworm, 
while  the  twanging  of  the  bows  made  music,  and  the 
eager  shouts  stirred  every  vein. 

The  hunt  swept  off  to  the  w^estward.  The  dusky 
figures  of  warriors  and  turkeys  disappeared  in  the 
brush,  and  Henry  and  Shif'less  Sol,  ceasing  to  be 
earthworms,  rose  to  their  knees. 

"They  didn't  see  us,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "but  it 
was  hard  to  stay  hid." 

303 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

"But  here  we  are  alive  and  safe.  Now,  I  think, 
Sol,  we'd  better  go  on  straight  toward  their  camp,  but 
keep  a  lookout  at  the  same  time  for  those  fellows, 
when  they  come  back." 

They  could  not  hear  the  twang  of  bowstrings  now, 
but  the  shouts  still  came  to  them,  though  much  soft- 
ened by  the  distance.  Presently  they  too  died  away, 
and  with  silence  returning  to  the  forest  Henry  and 
Shif'less  Sol  stood  upright.  They  listened  only  a 
moment  or  two,  and  then  advanced  directly  toward  the 
camp.  Crossing  the  brook  they  went  around  a  cluster 
of  thorn  bushes,  and  came  face  to  face  with  two  men. 
Shif'less  Sol,  quick  as  a  panther,  swung  his  clubbed 
rifle  like  lightning  and  the  foremost  of  the  two,  a 
Shawnee  warrior,  dropped  like  a  log,  and  Henry,  too 
close  for  action,  seized  the  other  by  the  throat  in  his 
powerful  hands. 

It  was  not  a  great  and  brawny  throat  into  which 
those  fingers  of  steel  settled,  and  its  owner  began  to 
gasp  quickly.  Then  Henry  noticed  that  he  held  in  his 
grasp  not  an  Indian,  but  a  white  man,  or  rather  a  boy, 
a  fair  English  boy,  a  youthful  and  open  face  upon 
which  the  forest  had  not  yet  set  its  tan. 

He  released  his  grasp  slowly.  He  could  not  bear 
the  pain  and  terror  in  the  eyes  of  the  slender  Eng- 
lish youth,  who,  though  he  wore  the  uniform  of  a 
subaltern,  seemed  so  much  out  of  place  there  in  the 
deep  woods.  Yet  the  forester  meant  to  take  no  need- 
less risk. 

"Promise  that  you  will  not  cry  out  and  I  spare  you," 
he  said,  his  blue  eyes  looking  straight  into  those  of 

304. 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

the  lad,  which  returned  his  gaze  with  defiance.  The 
steel  grasp  settled  down  again. 

"Better  promise,"  said  Henry.  "It's  your  only 
chance." 

The  obstinate  look  passed  out  of  his  eyes,  and  the 
lad  nodded,  as  he  could  not  speak.  Then  Henry  took 
away  his  hand  and  said : 

"Remember  your  word." 

The  English  youth  nodded  again,  gurgled  two  or 
three  times,  and  rubbed  his  throat : 

"  'Twas  a  mighty  grip  you  had  upon  me.  Who  are 
you?" 

"The  owners  of  this  forest,  and  weVe  jest  been 
tellin'  you  that  you've  no  business  here  on  our 
grounds,"  said  the  shiftless  one. 

The  boy — he  was  nothing  more — stared  at  them  in 
astonishment.  It  was  obvious  to  the  two  forest  run- 
ners that  he  had  little  acquaintance  wath  the  woods. 
His  eyes  filled  with  wonder  as  he  gazed  upon  the  two 
fierce  faces,  and  the  two  powerful  figures,  arrayed  in 
buckskin. 

"Your  forest?"  he  said. 

"Yes,"  replied  Henry  quietly,  "and  bear  in  mind 
that  I  held  your  life  in  my  hands.  Had  you  been  an 
Indian  you  would  be  dead  now." 

"I  won't  forget  it,"  said  the  youth,  who  seemed 
honest  enough,  "and  I'm  not  going  to  cry  out  and  bring 
the  warriors  down  upon  you  for  two  very  good  reas- 
sons — because  I've  promised  not  to  do  so,  and  if  I  did, 
I  know  that  your  comrade  there  would  shoot  me  down 
the  next  instant." 

305 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

**I  shorely  would,"  said  Shif  less  Sol,  grimly. 

"And  now,"  said  Henry,  "what  is  your  name  and 
what  are  you  doing  here?" 

"My  name  is  Roderick  Cawthorne,  Tm  a  subaltern 
in  the  British  army,  and  I  came  over  to  help  put  down 
the  rebels,  in  accordance  w^ith  my  duty  to  my  king  and 
country.     All  this  land  is  under  our  rule." 

"Do  you  think  so?"  asked  Henry.  "Do  you  think 
that  this  wilderness,  which  extends  a  thousand  miles 
in  every  direction,  is  under  your  rule?" 

The  young  subaltern  looked  around  at  the  dark 
forest  and  shivered  a  little. 

"Technically,  yes,"  he  replied,  "but  it's  a  long  way 
from  Eton," 

"What's  Eton?" 

"Eton  is  a  school  in  England,  a  school  for  the  sons 
of  gentlemen." 

"I  see.  And  would  I  be  considered  the  son  of 
a  gentleman?" 

Young  Cawthorne  looked  up  at  the  tanned  and 
powerful  face  bent  over  him.  He  had  already  noted 
Henry's  good  English,  and,  feeling  the  compelling 
gaze  of  one  who  was  born  to  be  a  master,  he  replied, 
sincerely  and  cheerfully: 

"Yes,  the  son  of  a  gentleman,  and  a  gentleman  your- 
self." 

"An'  I'm  a  gentleman  too,"  said  Shif'less  Sol.  "My 
good  rifle  says  so  every  time." 

"It  was  the  power  of  earlier  weapons  that  started 
the  line  of  gentlemen,"  said  Cawthorne.  "Now  what 
do  you  two  gentlemen  purpose  to  do  with  me  ?" 

306 


THE    GREAT    CULMINxVTION 

*'Do  you  know  what  would  be  done  with  us  if  things 
were  changed  about  ?"  asked  Henry,  "and  we  w^ere  the 
prisoners  of  you  and  the  colonel  and  the  red  men  with 
whom  you  travel  ?" 

"No.    What  would  it  be?" 

"You'd  have  the  pleasure  of  standing  by  and  seeing 
the  two  of  us  burned  alive  at  the  stake.  We  wouldn't 
be  burned  quickly.  It  can  be  protracted  for  hours,  and 
it's  often  done  to  our  people  by  your  allies." 

The  young  Englishman  paled. 

"Surely  it  can't  be  so !"  he  said. 

"But  surely  it  is  so !"  said  the  young  forester  fiercely. 

"I'm  at  your  mercy." 

"We  ain't  goin'  to  burn  you  now,"  said  Shif'less  Sol. 
"We  can't  afford  to  set  up  a  big  torch  in  the  forest, 
with  our  enemies  so  near." 

Cawthorne  shivered. 

"Do  you  still  feel,"  asked  Henry,  "that  you're  the 
ruler  over  the  wilderness  here,  five  thousand  miles 
from  London  ?" 

"Technically  only.  At  the  present  time  I'm  making 
no  boasts." 

"Now,  you  go  back  to  your  colonel  and  the  rene- 
gades and  the  red  chiefs  and  tell  them  they'll  find  no 
thoroughfare  to  the  white  settlements." 

"So,  you  don't  mean  to  kill  me?" 

"No,  we  don't  do  that  sort  of  thing.  Since  we  can't 
hold  you  a  prisoner  now,  we  release  you.  It's  likely 
that  you  don't  know  your  way  to  your  own  camp,  but 
your  red  comrade  here  will  guide  you.  My  friend 
didn't  break  his  skull,  when  he  struck  him  with  the  butt 

307 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

of  his  rifle,  though  it  was  a  shrewd  blow.  He's  com- 
ing to." 

Cawthorne  looked  down  at  the  reviving  savage,  and 
then  looked  up  to  thank  the  foresters,  but  they  were 
gone.  They  had  vanished  so  quickly  and  silently  that 
he  had  not  heard  them  going.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
savage  who  was  now  sitting  up  he  would  not  have 
believed  that  it  was  real. 

Henry  and  the  shiftless  one  had  dropped  down  in 
the  bushes  only  a  little  distance  away,  and,  by  the 
moonlight,  they  saw  the  look  of  bewilderment  on  the 
face  of  the  young  Englishman. 

"It  don't  hardly  look  fair  to  our  people  that  we 
should  let  him  go,"  said  the  shiftless  one. 

*'But  we  had  to,"  Henry  whispered  back.  "It  was 
either  kill  him  or  let  him  go,  and  neither  you  nor  I, 
Sol,  could  kill  him.    You  know  that" 

"Yes,  I  know  it." 

"Now,  the  warrior  has  all  his  senses  back,  though 
his  head  is  likely  to  ache  for  a  couple  of  days.  We 
don't  lose  anything  by  letting  them  have  their  lives, 
Sol.  The  talk  of  their  encounter  with  us  will  grow 
mightily  as  they  go  back  to  the  Indian  army.  The 
warrior  scarcely  caught  a  glimpse  of  us,  and  he's  likely 
to  say  that  he  was  struck  down  by  an  evil  spirit.  Caw- 
thorne's  account  of  his  talk  with  us  will  not  weaken 
him  in  his  belief.  Instead  it  will  make  him  sure  that 
we're  demons  who  spared  them  in  order  that  they 
might  carry  a  warning  to  their  comrades." 

"I  see  it,  Henry.  It's  boun'  to  be  the  way  you  say 
it  is,  an'  our  luck  is  still  workin'  fur  us," 

308 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

They  saw  the  EngHsh  lad  and  the  warrior  turn  back 
toward  the  camp,  and  then  they  rose,  going  away 
swiftly  at  a  right  angle  from  their  original  course. 
After  pursuing  it  a  while,  they  curved  in  again  toward 
the  camp. 

In  a  half-hour  they  saw  the  distant  flare  of  lights, 
and  knew  that  they  were  close  to  the  Indian  army. 
They  were  able  by  stalking,  carried  on  with  infinite 
pains  and  skill,  to  approach  so  near  that  they  could  see 
into  the  open,  where  the  fires  were  burning,  but  not 
near  enough  to  achieve  anything  of  use. 

Alloway,  Cartwright,  the  renegades  and  the  chiefs 
stood  together,  and  Cawthorne,  and  the  warrior  who 
had  been  with  him,  stood  before  them.  Evidently  they 
had  just  got  back,  and  were  telling  their  tale.  Both 
of  the  foresters  laughed  inwardly.  Their  achievement 
gave  them  much  pleasure,  and  they  felt  that  they  were 
making  progress  toward  forging  the  new  link  in  the 
chain.  , 

"Can  you  see  the  cannon?"  whispered  Shi f 'less  Sol. 

''Over  there  at  the  far  edge.  The  ammunition 
w^agons  carrying  the  powder  and  the  balls  and  the 
grapeshot  are  drawn  up  between  them.  But  we  can't 
get  at  'em,  Sol.    Not  now,  at  least." 

"No,  but  see,  Henry,  a  lot  of  them  warriors  are 
beginnin'  to  dance,  an'  thar  are  two  medicine  men 
among  'em.  They've  overheard  the  news  o'  w^hat 
we've  done,  an'  they're  gittin'  excited.  They're  shore 
now  the  evil  sperrits  are  all  'roun'  'em." 

"Looks  like  it,  Sol,  and  those  medicine  men 
are  not  afraid  of  Alloway,  the  renegades,  the  chiefs 

309 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

or  anybody  else.     They're  encouraging  the  dancing." 

Henry  and  the  shiftless  one  saw  the  medicine  men 
through  the  glow  of  the  lofty  flames,  and  they  looked 
strange  and  sinister  to  the  last  degree.  One  was 
wrapped  in  a  buffalo  hide  with  the  head  and  horns 
over  his  own  head,  the  other  was  made  up  as  a  bear. 
The  glare  through  which  they  were  seen,  magnified 
them  to  twice  or  thrice  their  size,  and  gave  them  a 
tint  of  blood.  They  looked  like  two  monsters  walk- 
ing back  and  forth  before  the  warriors. 

"The  seed  we  planted  is  shorely  growin'  up  good 
an'  strong,"  whispered  Shif'less  Sol. 

More  and  more  warriors  joined  in  the  chant  of  the 
medicine  men.  The  two  saw  Alloway  gesture  furi- 
ously toward  them,  and  then  they  saw  Yellow  Panther 
and  Red  Eagle  shake  their  heads.  The  two  interpreted 
the  movements  easily.  Alloway  wanted  the  chiefs  to 
stop  the  chanting  which  had  in  it  the  double  note  of 
awe  and  fear,  and  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle  dis- 
claimed any  power  to  do  so. 

Again  the  foresters  laughed  inwardly,  as  the  mon- 
strous and  misshapen  figures  of  the  two  medicine  men 
careered  back  and  forth  in  the  flaming  light.  They 
knew  that  at  this  moment  their  power  over  the  war- 
riors was  supreme.  The  more  Alloway  raged  the  more 
he  weakened  his  own  influence. 

"An'  now  they're  dancin'  with  all  their  might," 
whispered  the  shiftless  one.  "Look  how  they  bound 
an'  twist  an'  jump!  Henry,  you  an'  me  have  seed 
some  wild  sights  together,  but  this  caps  'ejn." 

It  was  in  truth  a  most  extraordinary  scene,  this 

310 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

wild  dance  of  the  hundreds  in  the  depths  of  the 
primeval  forest.  Around  and  around  they  went,  led 
by  the  two  medcine  men,  the  bear  and  the  buffalo,  and 
the  hideous,  monotonous  chant  swelled  through  all  the 
forest.  It  did  not  now  contain  the  ring  of  triumph 
and  anticipation.  Instead  it  was  filled  with  grief  for 
the  fallen,  fear  of  the  evil  spirits  that  filled  the  air,  and 
of  Manitou  who  had  turned  his  face  away  from  them. 

Alloway  and  the  white  men  who  were  left,  drew  to 
one  side.  Henry  could  imagine  the  rage  of  the  colonel 
at  his  helplessness,  and  he  could  imagine  too  that  he 
must  feel  a  thrill  of  awe  at  the  wild  scene  passing 
before  him.  The  time  and  the  circumstances  must 
work  upon  the  feelings  of  a  white  man,  no  matter 
how^  stout  his  heart. 

"If  we  could  strike  another  good  strong  blow  now," 
said  the  shiftless  one,  "1  think  they  would  break  into  a 
panic." 

''True,"  said  Henry,  "but  we  must  not  depart  from 
our  original  purpose  to  get  at  the  cannon.  I  don't 
think  we  can  do  it  tonight  and  so  we'd  better  withdraw. 
Maybe  we'll  have  another  chance  tomorrow  night." 

"I'm  agreein'  with  you,  Henry,  an'  I'm  beginnin' 
to  think  mighty  like  the  warriors  do,  that  Manitou, 
w4iich  is  jest  their  name  for  our  God,  turns  his  face 
upon  you  or  turns  his  face  away  from  you." 

"It  looks  so,  Sol.  I  suppose  the  Indians  in  most 
w^ays  don't  differ  much  from  us.  Only  they're  a  lot 
more  superstitious." 

Slowly  they  crept  away,  but  w^hen  they  finally  rose 
to  their  feet  in  the  depths  of  the  forest  they  could  still 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

see  the  glow  of  the  great  fires  behind  them.  Henry 
and  the  shiftless  one  knew  that  the  Indians  had  been 
heaping  logs  upon  coals  until  the  flames  sprang  up 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  that  around  them  nearly  the 
whole  army  was  now  dancing  and  singing.  The  wail- 
ing note  of  so  many  voices  still  reached  them,  shrill, 
piercing  and  so  full  of  lament  that  the  nerves  of  the 
forest  runners  themselves  were  upset. 

"I  want  to  git  away  from  here,''  said  the  shiftless 
one,  and  then  he  added  wistfully:  "I  wish  we  could 
strike  our  big  blow,  whatever  it  is,  tonight,  Henry. 
Their  state  o'  mind  is  terrible.  They're  right  on  edge, 
an*  ef  we  could  do  somethin'  they'd  break,  shore." 

"I  know  it,"  said  Henry,  "but  we're  not  able  to  get 
at  what  we  want  to  reach." 

Nevertheless  they  stood  there,  and  listened  some 
time  to  the  wailing  note  of  all  the  hundreds  who  were 
oppressed  and  afraid,  because  the  face  of  Manitou  was 
so  obviously  turned  from  them. 

Henry  and  the  shiftless  one,  as  they  retured  toward 
their  comrades  whom  they  had  left  behind,  did  not 
relax  their  caution,  knowing  that  hunting  parties  were 
still  abroad,  and  that  veteran  chiefs  like  Yellow 
Panther  and  Red  Eagle  had  sent  scouts  ahead.  Twice 
they  struck  trails,  and  fragm^ents  of  feathers  left  on 
the  bushes  by  warriors  returning  with  turkeys. 

They  were  at  least  two  miles  from  the  camp  when 
they  heard  noises  that  indicated  the  passage  of  a  small 
body  of  the  Indians,  and  as  they  stepped  behind  trees 
to  conceal  themselves  Shi f 'less  Sol's  foot  suddenly 
sank  with  a  bubbling  sound  into  an  oozy  spot.     In  an 

312 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

instant,  all  the  Indians  stopped.  Henry  and  his  com- 
rade heard  rustling  sounds  for  a  moment,  and  then 
there  was  complete  silence.  The  two  knew  that  the 
warriors  had  taken  to  cover,  and  that  probably  they 
would  not  escape  without  a  fight.  They  were  intensely 
annoyed  as  they  wished  to  return  to  Paul,  Long  Jim 
and  Silent  Tom. 

The  shiftless  one  withdrew  his  foot  from  the  ooze, 
and  he  and  Henry  crouched  on  dry  ground,  watching 
w^ith  eye  and  ear  for  any  movement  in  the  thicket  oppo- 
site. They  knew  that  the  warriors,  with  infinite 
patience,  were  waiting  in  the  same  manner,  and  it  was 
likely  that  the  delay  would  be  long. 

"Luck  has  turned  ag'in  us  fur  a  little  bit,'*  whis- 
pered Shi f 'less  Sol,  *'but  I  can't  think  that  after  favor- 
in'  us  fur  so  long  it'll  leave  us  fur  good." 

"I  don't  think  so  either,"  said  Henry.  "I  hear  one 
of  them  moving." 

"That  bein'  the  case  we'll  lay  nearly  flat,"  said 
Shif'less  Sol. 

It  was  well  they  did  so,  as  a  rifle  flashed  in  the 
thicket  before  them,  and  a  bullet  cut  the  leaves  over 
their  heads.  They  did  not  reply,  but  crept  silently  to 
one  side.  A  few  minutes  later  another  bullet  crashed 
through  the  bushes  at  the  same  place,  and  this  time 
Henry  fired  by  the  flash.  He  heard  a  low^  cry,  fol- 
lowed by  silence  and  he  was  sure  that  his  bullet  had 
struck  a  target.  Shif'less  Sol  held  his  rifle  ready  in 
case  a  rush  should  come,  but  there  was  none,  and 
Henry  reloaded  rapidly. 

A  full  half-hour  of  waiting  followed,  in  which  only 

313 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

a  single  shot  was  fired,  and  that  by  the  warriors,  to  go 
wide  of  the  mark,  as  usual,  and  the  wrath  of  Henry 
and  the  shiftless  one,  at  being  held  there  so  long,  be- 
came intense.  It  seemed  the  veriest  piece  of  irony 
that  this  unfortunate  chance  should  have  occurred,  but 
Henry  presently  recalled  the  arrangement  they  had 
made  with  the  three,  wondering  why  they  had  not 
thought  of  it  sooner. 

"The  warriors  are  before  us,"  he  whispered  to 
Shiftless  Sol,  "and  Long  Jim,  Paul  and  Tom  are  be- 
hind us.  They  may  have  heard  the  rifle  shots  or  they 
may  not,  but  at  any  rate  there  is  something  that  will 
carry  further." 

"You  mean  the  howl  of  the  wolf!  O'  course,  that's 
our  call  to  them." 

"Yes,  and  if  we  bring  'em  up  it  won't  be  hard  to 
drive  off  this  band." 

"Let  me  give  the  signal  then,  Henry.  Ef  Long 
Jim  is  the  best  yeller  among  us  mebbe  I'm  the  best 
howler.  I'm  right  proud  o'  bein'  a  wolf  sometimes, 
an'  I  feel  like  one  jest  now." 

"Go  back  then  some  distance,"  said  Henry.  "When 
the  boys  come  up  you  must  meet  'em  and  not  let  'em 
run  into  any  ambush." 

The  shiftless  one  glided  away  toward  the  rear,  and 
Henry,  lying  almost  flat  on  the  grass  and  watching 
the  thickets  in  front  of  him  so  intensely  that  no  war- 
rior could  have  crept  out  of  them  unseen,  waited.  At 
the  end  of  five  minutes  he  heard  behind  him  a  note, 
low  at  first,  but  swelling  gradually  so  high  that  it 
pierced  the  sky  and  filled  the  forest.     It  was  fierce, 

314 


THE    GREAT   CULMINATION 

prolonged,  seeming  to  come  from  the  throat  of  a 
monster  wolf,  and,  as  it  died  away,  a  similar  cry  came 
from  a  point  far  back  in  the  forest.  The  wolf  near 
by  howled  again,  and  the  wolf  deep  in  the  forest  re- 
plied in  like  fashion.  The  signal  was  complete,  and 
Henry  knew  that  Paul,  Silent  Tom  and  Long  Jim 
would  come  fast  to  help. 

There  was  a  stirring  in  the  thicket  before  him,  evi- 
dently prompted  by  the  signals,  and  another  vain  bullet 
crashed  through  the  bushes.  Henry  fired  once  more 
at  the  flash,  but  he  could  not  tell  whether  or  not  he 
had  hit  anything,  although  it  was  sufficient  to  hold  the 
warriors  in  the  bush.  Evidently  they  did  not  con- 
sider themselves  strong  enough  for  a  rush,  and  again 
he  waited  patiently,  judging  that  the  three  would 
arrive  in  twenty  minutes  at  the  furthest. 

They  came  several  minutes  within  the  allotted  time. 
He  heard  soft  rustlings  behind  him,  and  then  the  five 
were  reunited  and  ready  for  action. 

"Sol,  you  creep  around  on  the  right  flank,  and  Tom, 
you  take  the  left,"  whispered  the  young  general. 
^'They're  not  in  numbers  and  I  think  we  can  soon  rout 
'em  without  loss  to  ourselves.'* 

The  flanking  movement  w^as  carried  out  perfect- 
ly. Shif'less  Sol  and  Silent  Tom  opened  fire  on  the 
right  and  on  the  left  at  the  same  time,  and  the 
other  three,  sending  in  bullets  from  the  center,  began 
to  shout  the  charge,  although  they  did  no  charging. 
But  it  was  sufficient.  They  saw  dusky  figures 
darting  away,  and  then,  rising  from  the  bushes  the 
three  divisions  of  their  small  army  met  victoriously 

315 


THE   KEEPERS    OF   THE    TRAIL 

upon  the  field,  abandoned  by  the  enemy  in  such  haste. 

They  saw  red  stains,  and  then  a  dark  form  almost 
hidden  in  the  grass,  a  powerful  warrior,  painted 
hideously  and  dead  an  hour.  Henry  looked  down  at 
him  thoughtfully.  The  retreating  warriors  had  taken 
away  his  weapons,  but  his  paint  bag  and  the  little 
charms  against  evil  spirits  remained,  tied  to  his  belt. 
It  was  the  paint  bag  that  held  Henry's  eye,  and,  hold- 
ing it,  gave  him  the  idea. 

He  detached  the  bag,  the  waistcloth  and  moccasins, 
and  calling  to  his  comrades  retreated  farther  into  the 
forest.  Every  one  of  them,  as  they  watched  his  ac- 
tions, divined  his  intent. 

"You're  going  to  disguise  yourself  and  go  into  the 
Indian  camp,"  said  Paul,  when  they  stopped.  "I 
wouldn't  do  it.  The  risk  is  too  great.  Besides,  what 
can  you  do?" 

"I  went  among  'em  once  and  came  back  alive,"  said 
Henry,  "and  I  think  I  can  do  it  again.  Besides,  I 
mean  to  accomplish  something." 

"I'm  to  go  with  you,  o'  course?"  said  Shif'less  Sol, 
eagerly. 

Henry  shook  his  head. 

"No,  Sol,"  he  said  reluctantly.  "There's  only  equip- 
ment for  one,  and  it  must  be  me.  But  the  rest  of  you 
can  hang  on  the  outskirts,  and  if  I  give  a  cry  for  help 
you  may  come.  It  will  be,  as  before,  the  howl  of  the 
wolf,  and  now,  boys,  we  will  work  fast,  because  I  must 
strike,  while  they're  still  in  the  frenzy,  created  by  the 
medicine  men." 

Henry  took  off  his  own  clothing,  and,  with  a  shud- 

316 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

der,  put  on  the  leggings  and  breechcloth  of  the  dead 
Indian.  Then  Shi f 'less  Sol  and  Tom  Ross  painted 
him  from  the  waist  up  in  a  ghastly  manner,  and,  with 
their  heartfelt  wishes  for  his  safety  and  success,  he 
departed  for  the  camp,  the  others  following  in  silence 
not  far  behind.  He  soon  heard  the  sound  of  the  chant 
and  he  knew  that  the  orgie  was  proceeding.  An  In- 
dian dance  could  last  two  days  and  nights  without 
stopping,  fresh  w^arriors  always  replacing  those  who 
dropped  from  exhaustion. 

It  was  now  far  past  midnight,  and  Henry  was  quite 
sure  that  all  the  hunters  had  gone.  The  little  party 
which  he  and  his  comrades  had  fought  had  probably 
spread  already  the  tale  of  a  mysterious  foe  with  whom 
they  had  met,  and  who  had  slain  one  of  their  number. 
And  the  story,  exaggerated  much  in  the  telling,  w^ould 
add  to  the  number  and  powder  of  the  evil  spirits 
oppressing  the  red  army. 

Keeping  for  the  present  well  hidden  in  the  forest, 
Henry  approached  the  fires  which  had  now  been 
heaped  up  to  an  amazing  height,  from  which  lofty 
flames  leaped  and  which  sent  off  sparks  in  millions. 
The  chant  was  wilder  than  ever,  rolling  in  weird 
echoes  through  the  forest,  the  dancers  leaping  to  and 
fro,  their  faces  bathed  in  perspiration,  their  eyes  filled 
with  the  glare  of  temporary  madness.  The  English- 
men and  renegades  had  gone  to  small  tents  pitched  at 
the  edge  of  the  wood,  but  Yellow  Panther  and  Red 
Eagle  stood  and  watched  the  dancers. 

All  things  were  distorted  in  the  mingled  dusk  and 
glow  of  the  fires,  and  Henry,  bending  low  that  his 

317 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

great  stature  might  not  be  noticed,  edged  gradually  In 
and  joined  the  dancers.  For  a  while,  none  was  more 
furious  than  he.  He  leaped  and  he  swung  his  arms, 
and  he  chanted,  until  the  perspiration  ran  down  his 
face,  and  none  looked  wilder  than  he.  In  the  multi- 
tude nobody  knew  that  he  was  a  stranger,  nor  would 
the  glazed  eyes  of  the  dancers  have  noticed  that  he  was 
one,  anyhow. 

Nevertheless  he  was  watching  keenly,  while  he 
leaped  and  shouted,  and  his  eyes  were  for  the  cannon, 
drawn  up  just  within  the  edge  of  the  forest,  with  the 
ammunition  wagons  between  them.  After  a  while  he 
moved  cautiously  in  their  direction,  threw  himself 
panting  on  the  grass,  where  others  already  lay  in  the 
stupor  of  exhaustion,  and  then,  taking  hold  of  one  of 
the  burning  brands  which  the  wind  had  blown  from 
the  bonfires,  he  edged  slowly  toward  the  forest  and 
the  wagons. 

This  was  the  last  link  in  the  chain,  but  if  it  were  not 
forged  all  the  others  would  be  in  vain.  Three  or  four 
times  he  stopped  motion  altogether,  and  lay  flat  on  the 
ground.  Through  the  red  haze  he  dimly  saw  the  fig- 
ures of  Yellow  Panther  and  Red  Eagle  who  stood  side 
by  side,  and  he  saw  also  the  two  medicine  men,  the 
Bear  and  the  Buffalo,  who  danced  as  if  they  were  made 
of  steel,  and  who  continually  incited  the  others. 

Henry  himself  began  to  feel  the  effect  of  the  danc- 
ing and  of  the  wild  cheering,  which  was  like  a  con- 
tinuous mad  incantation.  His  blood  had  never  before 
leaped  so  wildly  and  he  saw  through  a  red  haze  all  the 
time.     He  felt  for  the  moment  almost  like  an  Indian, 

318 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

or  rather  as  if  he  had  returned  to  some  primeval  incar- 
nation. But  it  did  not  make  him  feel  one  with  those 
around  him.  Instead  it  incited  him  to  extreme  effort 
and  greater  daring. 

He  edged  himself  forward  slowly,  dragging  the 
torch  upon  the  ground.  He  still  saw  Blackstaffe  and 
Wyatt  at  the  edge  of  the  opening  some  distance  away, 
but  they  were  gazing  at  the  great  mass  of  the  dancers. 
AUoway  presently  came  from  his  tent  and  also  stood 
looking  on,  though  he  did  not  join  the  renegades. 
Henry  could  imagine  his  feelings,  his  bitter  disap- 
pointment. But  then,  one  must  know  something  about 
Indians  before  undertaking  to  go  on  campaigns  with 
them.  He  hoped,  however,  that  young  Cawthorne 
would  remain  in  his  tent. 

His  slow  creeping  lasted  ten  minutes.  He  felt  now 
that  he  had  reached  the  very  crisis  of  the  campaign 
made  by  the  five,  and  he  must  not  make  the  silghtest 
slip  of  any  kind.  He  reached  the  grass  behind  the 
w^agons  and  lay  there  four  or  five  minutes  without 
stirring.  He  discovered  then  that  besides  those  be- 
tween the  cannon  there  were  four  behind  them  loaded 
with  powder.  The  horses  were  tethered  in  the  woods 
two  or  three  hundred  yards  away.  He  was  glad  that 
so  much  distance  separated  them  from  the  cannon  and 
powder. 

The  torch,  although  he  kept  it  concealed  in  the  grass, 
was  beginning  to  crackle.  The  problem  was  not  yet 
simple,  but  he  thought  rapidly.  The  wagons  were 
covered  with  canvas.  Reaching  up,  he  quickly  cut  off 
a  long  strip  with  his  hunting  knife.    Then  he  inserted 

319 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

the  strip  inside  the  wagon  and  into  the  powder,  driving 
the  knife  deep  through  canvas  and  wood,  and  leaving 
it,  thrust  there  to  hold  the  strip  fast. 

The  other  end  of  the  thick  canvas  fell  from  the 
wagon  to  the  ground,  a  length  of  about  a  foot  lying 
in  the  grass.  He  ignited  this  with  his  torch,  and  saw 
it  begin  to  burn  with  a  steady  creeping  flame.  Then 
he  moved  swiftly  away  until  he  reached  the  edge  of 
the  forest,  when  he  rose  and  ran  with  all  his  might. 
Three  or  four  hundred  yards  distant,  he  stopped  and 
uttered  the  cry  of  the  wolf.  The  answer  came  in- 
stantly from  a  point  very  near,  and  in  two  minutes  the 
four  joined  him. 

*'Is  it  arranged?"  exclaimed  Paul. 

"Yes,"  replied  Henry.  ^There's  a  chance  of  a  slip, 
of  course.  The  torch  is  set  and  burning.  An  Indian 
may  see  it  and  put  it  out,  but  I  don't " 

The  sentence  was  never  finished.  The  night  was 
rent  by  a  terrible  crash,  and  as  they  were  looking 
toward  the  Indian  camp  they  saw  a  pyramid  of  fire 
shoot  far  up  into  the  sky,  and  then  sink  back  again. 
A  half  minute  of  dreadful  silence  followed,  when 
every  leaf  and  blade  of  grass  seemed  to  stand  still,  and 
then  through  the  distance  came  a  long  and  piercing 
lament. 

"It's  done!"  said  the  shiftless  one,  speaking  in  a 
tone  of  awe. 

"The  cannon  are  blown  to  pieces,"  said  Paul. 

"Nothin'  but  scattered  metal  now !"  said  Long  Jim. 

"Busted  up,  shore!"  said  Silent  Tom. 

"They'll   be   running   in   a  panic  presently,"   said 

320 


THE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

Henry,  "and  they  won't  stop  until  they're  far  across 
the  Ohio." 

The  hearts  of  the  five  swelled.  They  alone,  five 
against  a  thousand,  rifles  against  cannon,  had  defeated 
the  great  Indian  army  headed  by  artillery.  They  had 
equalled  the  knights  of  old — perhaps  had  surpassed 
them — although  it  was  not  done  by  valor  alone,  but 
also  by  wile  and  stratagem,  by  mind  and  leadership. 
Intellect  had  been  well  allied  with  bravery. 

But  they  said  little,  and  turning  back  into  the  deeps 
of  the  forest,  they  slept  until  morning. 

The  five  rose  at  dawn,  and  went  swiftly  to  the  place 
where  the  Indian  camp  had  stood,  to  find  there,  as  they 
had  expected,  complete  silence  and  desolation.  The 
ruin  was  utter.  All  the  wagons  had  been  blown  to  bits, 
and  the  cannon  w^ere  shattered  so  thoroughly  that  they 
lay  in  fragments.  Probably  Indians  near  by  had  been 
killed,  but  the  warriors,  following  their  custom,  had 
taken  their  dead  away  w-ith  them. 

Henry,  looking  near  the  edge  of  the  forest,  suddenly 
started  back  at  a  gleam  of  red  among  the  bushes.  He 
knew  that  it  had  come  from  a  red  coat,  and  when  he 
looked  again  he  saw  the  body  of  Colonel  Alloway 
lying  there.  He  had  been  hit  in  the  head  by  a  piece 
of  flying  metal  and  evidently  had  been  killed  instantly. 
Doubtless  the  other  English  had  wanted  to  bury  him, 
but  the  panic  of  the  Indians  had  compelled  them  to 
leave  him,  although  they  took  their  own  dead. 

*'We'll  bury  him,  because  he  was  a  white  man,"  said 
Henry. 

321 


THE    KEEPERS    OF    THE    TRAIL 

They  dug  a  grave  with  their  knives  and  hatchets 
and  laid  him  in  it,  putting  stones  over  the  dirt  to  keep 
prov^ling  w^ild  animals  from  digging  there,  and  then 
took  the  Indian  trail. 

It  was  a  trail  so  wide  and  deep  that  a  blind  man 
could  have  followed  it.  The  panic  evidently  had  been 
terrible.  The  warriors  had  thrown  away  blankets,  and 
in  some  cases  weapons.  Henry  found  a  fine  hunting 
knife,  with  w^hich  he  replaced  the  one  he  had  used  to 
pin  down  his  fuse,  and  Silent  Tom  found  a  fine  green 
blanket  which  he  added  to  his  own. 

They  followed  to  the  Ohio  River,  and  some  distance 
beyond.  Then,  satisfied  that  this  expedition  was 
routed  utterly,  they  came  back  into  Kentucky. 

"I'd  like  to  go  to  that  little  house  of  ours  inside  the 
cliff,"  said  Paul. 

"So  would  I,"  said  Long  Jim.  "It's  the  snuggest 
home  we've  ever  found  inside  the  wilderness." 

"An'  Indian  proof,  ez  we've  proved,"  said  the  shifts 
less  one. 

"Good  fur  rest,"  said  Silent  Tom. 

"Then  we  go  there,"  said  Henry. 

They  reached  the  valley  the  next  day  and  climbed 
up  into  the  cleft  which  had  been  a  home  and  a  fortress 
for  them.  It  was  sweet  and  clean,  full  of  fresh,  pure 
air,  and  the  tiny  rill  was  trickling  away  merrily. 
Nothing  had  been  disturbed. 

"Now  ain't  this  fine?"  said  Long  Jim,  coming  out- 
side and  looking  over  the  hills.  "Paul,  I've  heard  you 
talk  about  palaces,  them  that  the  old  Greeks  an'  Ro- 
mans had,  an'  them  that  they  hev  now  in  Europe, 

322 


/HE    GREAT    CULMINATION 

but  I  know  that  tliar  has  never  been  one  among  *em 
ez  snug-  an'  safe  an'  cozy  ez  this." 

*'At  least,"  said  the  shiftless  one,  "I  don't  believe 
any  o'  'em  ever  had  a  water  supply  like  ourn,  clean, 
cool,  an'  unfailin'." 

Silent  Tom  took  something  from  his  knapsack. 

"I'm  goin'  to  git  some  fish  in  that  creek  farther 
down,"  he  said.  "You'd  better  hev  your  fire  ready. 
Out  here  on  the  shelf  is  a  good  place." 

Long  Jim,  happy  in  the  task  that  he  liked,  hurried 
away  in  search  of  dead  wood.  The  others  carried 
dried  leaves  into  the  hollow  and  made  places  for  their 
beds. 

Silent  Tom  caught  plenty  of  good  fish,  to  which 
they  added  venison  and  buffalo  steaks,  and,  sitting  on 
the  shelf  they  ate  and  were  at  peace.  The  glow  of 
triumph  was  still  in  their  hearts.  Alone,  they  had 
achieved  a  great  deed  for  the  sake  of  humanity.  They 
had  been  through  their  Iliad,  and  like  the  heroes  of 
antiquity,  they  took  their  well-earned  rest. 

The  foliage  was  now  in  its  deepest  flush  of  green. 
Henry,  as  he  looked  over  a  vast  expanse  of  wilderness, 
saw  nothing  but  green,  green,  the  unbroken  green  that 
he  loved. 

A  bird  in  a  tree  over  their  heads  began  to  pour  forth 
a  volume  of  clear,  triumphant  song,  and  the  five  looked 
upon  it  as  a  voice  meant  for  them. 

"It's  the  last  touch,"  said  Paul. 

"And  the  victory  is  complete,"  said  Henry. 

(«) 
323 


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